The Life Story of Xenophiles: Andromeda
by The Unpredictable Muse
Summary: Follows the game with variations based on choice and slight manipulation of canon setting, backdrops, and background characters. Multiple pairings. Sara/Tann, Sara/Kandros, Sara/ OC, Scott/T'Perro, Kandros/OC
1. Chapter 1

Habitat 7 nearly killed her. Being part of the Pathfinder team responsible for finding 20,000 people a home? That would surely kill her. But if all that failed to kill her, she was absolutely certain that Scott's impulsiveness would lead her to a sure death. Finding the Nexus appeared to be a godsend. Finding it in shambles and disarray? Horrifying. Learning about the uprising and the loss of leadership? Even worse. Safe to say this was the worst journey she ever made in her life. She could face it all with a still expression as long as a plan presented itself. Scott's creativity allowed for that as they were slotted to land on Eos and determine how to make it a habitable planet after two failed colonizing attempts.

The accounts of those attempts saddened her. She saved the tears for later when no one would see them. Not even Scott. A part of her remained grateful that their father never lived to see how desperate everyone is. Another part of wished that he lived so that he could better help these people instead of relying on second rate experience that would never live up to the N7 that Alec Ryder was.

Sara lingered behind while Scott ventured off to explore more of the Nexus. Of all the leaders to survive, it had to be a Salarian that was in charge. What good fortune for her, as she particularly preferred Salarians. " I want you to know that we're grateful for the support,"

Tann stopped checking the station updates.

" My brother is rash. He's….human,"

" Yes," Tann remarked quietly. " My condolences on your father's loss,"

The silence of the broom closet type area filled in Sara's mind and vaccuumed out any real thoughts she might have had. She and her father were never really close. She loved him, because he was her father and he tried hard to give them good lives, and for a long time, his achievements bolstered their success in their chosen career paths, but his work with AI also destroyed that success. She never really blamed him for that either, but deep down she resented SAM for destroying her career in archaeology.

Given her current adventure, forgiving SAM wasn't so difficult. Nonetheless they first needed to find a home.

Like Mom would say, Home is where the heart lies. And where lies are told to protect the heart.

" Director Tann, I understand how difficult it must've been with the uprising and the introduction to Andromeda. I wish that we knew where the rest of the arks are,"

" As do I, Ryder,"

" Sara, please." Her heart skipped a beat. She didn't know exactly when she started to favor Salarians but she figured it started on one of her expeditions in the Attican Traverse. " There will only be one Ryder that will matter until the chaos is settled, and that's Scott. Besides, I prefer to be known for my exploits, not my family's name and reputation,"

" Yes, especially given your father's reputation for creating SAM," Tann replied without hesitation and without anything resembling disrespect or distrust.

Sara clasped her hands behind her back. " Dad's work pushed Scott and I out of our respective fields. As if we were the ones researching AI. It is unfair, but that's 600 years behind us," Years of being practical and analytical spared her the indignity of a shaking voice.

" To the future you now look then, Sara," Tann obliged as he wondered why she still talked to him instead of at him like everyone else did. Granted, she was not present for the uprising and held no personal grudge. Were she an exile he'd be more cautious. " I trust you will be a valuable asset to your brother,"

Sara laughed. " I hope to ensure he doesn't repeat a Habitat 7. Both the...death of our father and a first contact gone wrong," Relaxing a little bit, she hoped that she could stay on the Nexus long enough to better know Tann. He seemed her sort of person, the type who thought of the mission and not so much the components that made it work or even made it a possible feat.

Was it cold? Yes. Was it uniquely Sara? Most definitely. Few people understood her.

" The Kett attacked on sight?"

" Yes, and no,"

" Explain," Tann frowned. Salarians lacked a defined lip. So when they frowned it was like their face puckered up.

She shrugged and played with her hands. The injuries were still healing from Habitat 7, including the rib that she cracked when she landed. It still hurt to breathe sometimes but Dr. Carlisle was a skilled medical professional and they did have advanced medicine. " You received the reports, right? The Kett wanted something from us and when they couldn't find a way to take it, likely due to the language barrier, they killed us. I'd call them brutes but that would be an insult to any brute in existence. Brutes have more emotion than those things. They even give 'things' a bad name," She shook her head. " Worse than pirates,"

Tann cocked his head. " I recall that your father mentioned you were caught up in a raid once,"

" Dad wanted to rescue our group but in the end it was a group of mercenaries who saved us. They wanted credits, and since we didn't have any other option," Sara shrugged again. Her father never mentioned that expedition in front of her but Mom always reminded her that Alec Ryder was not a man who should be trifled with. Or his family threatened. It never surprised Sara when she was given a 'loan' for the exact amount of credits she had to hand over to the mercenaries. Dad was too proud to talk about it. She was too shy to push the subject. " I wasn't aware you were familiar with my father,"

" I wasn't as familiar as the Director of Colonial Affairs,"

" Oh?"

" Foster Addison worked closely with Alec Ryder,"

" Oh,"

Tann didn't understand Sara's suspicions. " Records indicate that he cared greatly for his children, and when they held skills the Initiative could use, recruiting them - you - was never contested,"

Sara smiled softly. At least someone hadn't written off their efforts. " Thank you, Director Tann. I should probably make sure that Scott hasn't caused too much trouble elsewhere,"

" Is he prone to-"

" No...It's just overprotective sister...Scott's all I have left now," Sara took a deep breath and walked away. The weight of the statement pressed down on her. Mom was dead because of her research. Dad was dead because of Andromeda. If she lost Scott, she didn't know if she would hold together, and for the sake of the universe, they needed to hold together. The storm would not beat them.

Her feet lead her down and out of operations. She stopped by Kandros's station out of respect for his duty in keeping everyone safe. The Turian acknowledged her briefly as everyone under his supervision reported. Sara crossed her arms over her chest. " How much has Director Tann destroyed? The leadership doesn't fracture like that without good reason," Yes, she was attracted to Tann, but the hatred for Tann sent up alarms.

" The uprising left the Nexus in a state of unrest, and our lack of resources hasn't eased the tension," Kandros explained. " The Pathfinder already passed through here inquiring about it,"

Of course Scott did. Scott wasn't stupid. He investigated everything. His curiosity lead to her learning how to encrypt her emails and videos. She often wondered how he didn't enter the same career path as she did. He seemed better suited to it than her, yet he was happy with his former career path.

Sara nodded. " If you need anything, or want to keep Tann in check...or anything like that, let me know,"

" The Pathfinder warned me you would be on his tail,"

She smiled. " He did? Good. Then he knows that I'm going to be doing the rounds the same as him. We're already rock bottom with Batarian oversights keeping us down. We need to rise up on out of it into the highest of the turian heirarchy," Kandros almost smiled. " In all seriousness, I need to get my feet under me if I can help him. Everyone's got their duties. I'm exploring the Nexus and the world it suffers in, as per my duties,"

Kandros nodded. " The Ryder name won't be put down,"

" No, it won't," She held out her hand.

He grabbed her hand, making it small in comparison. " I wish you luck,"

" Keep the luck. I'll use the science," She smiled briefly before deciding to take some down time at the Vortex. " But seriously, anything to do with Tann, keep me in the know," Before Kandros could argue or dismiss her, she made a quick exit and walked to the Tram.


	2. Chapter 2

Scott alllowed his twin to dog his steps. It wasn't that he enjoyed her critical oversight. He owed his relatively clean past to that obsessive protective oversight. She needed to feel useful and protective to feel normal and he wouldn't take that from her. He wouldn't admit to himself that he wanted her to keep looking after him as someone who needed the firm guiding hand. He refused to believe himself that dependent on their bond.

" It's hard to believe all of this," Scott remarked to one of the turians at the Vortex. " When we left home our dreams for a brighter future never predicted any of...this,"

The scourge. The Kett. Not meeting up as planned. Losing all but one Pathfinder ship. Settling a new galaxy shouldn't be this hard.

The turian nodded. " Arriving first...and then waiting for the arks. The uprising…"

Scott tried to understand. " You lost family?"

" My cousin joined the exiles after her mother was kept in cryo,"

" She didn't take part in the uprising?"

" No," The turian shook his head. " When she refused to support the leadership, she was included with the exiles,"

Scott suspected more was left out than shared. Just like his father suppressed memories SAM saved. " Harsh, but have you heard from your cousin?" The bartender kept an ear on the conversation without hint of shame or restraint.

" She's on Kadara. Alive," The turian answered in relief. " My aunt is still in cryo,"

Scott pat him on the back. " You still have family. A small comfort in all of this hostility," The turian agreed and the asari and human bartender offered another drink to the overworked soul. Before Scott left the bar, he collected the name of the turian's cousin in case he reached Kadara before they were able to successfully settle people on Eos again.

He met up with Sara overlooking the Tempest being prepped for take off.

" She's beautiful, isn't she?" Sara said.

Scott leaned on the railing next to her. " Breathtaking. Finish your rounds?"

" For today," She shrugged off his playful jabbing. " Spooked Tann, I think, but he's a wild card right now. My type, just wrong place and time,"

" You say that now," Scott smirked. She barely cracked a smile. " But seriously, any other Salarian-"

" Shut up,"

" Why?" He pushed against her.

She shoved him back. " I'm not looking for a booty call, Scott. You may be, but I'm not. I want something real when all the chaos dies down. Tann may or may not be that person," She relaxed. " Besides I need to focus on honoring Dad,"

He resumed standing still and studying the Pathfinder's ship. A sleek tube with supportive wings and contrasting coloration filled with the latest technology more or less his to use at whim and will. " Just so you know, I never wanted to be the Pathfinder,"

" I know," She shrugged. " You were never one to take to responsibility unless you needed to,"

The mock insulted expression covered Scott's bearded face for a split second before he let his real depression sink in.

" Cora is disappointed she didn't step into the role but she's a soldier. She'll soldier on," Sara assured him even though she didn't fully trust Cora to be 100% loyal to Scott as Pathfinder. Liam Kosta was easier to work with at times, but Cora was more the by the books type of person. They needed that discipline and Kosta's sporadic hope and energy to keep their heads up.

Scott moved closer to Sara and threw his arm around her shoulder. She leaned against him and closed her eyes as the familiar weight of his arm comforted her. " We'll make it through," He promised her in a whisper. She wrapped her arm around his back and squeezed his side. " Hey, no crying now. You know I hate it when you cry,"

She pushed him off of her and stared at the Tempest willing the tears to disappear. She quickly wiped them away with her hand. Scott pretended to not notice and they both stood there is equal silence hoping they could impress their father in days, weeks, months, years to come.

The housing on the Nexus reminded Sara of the housing on the Citadel - boxy, small, and minimalist with built-in furniture. She almost made herself comfortable when the door indicator dinged. Popping up on her feet, she padded across the floor wearing pajamas, a sports bra, and tank top featuring Blasto. " Director Tann," Her cheeks reddened instantly.

" Ryder," He answered. " Sara," He made no move to enter the apartment. " I have an offer for you,"

Of course he did. He was a bureaucrat who needed to make the Nexus a safe hospitable place for people. " Would you life coffee?" She motioned for him to enter.

He shook his head and stayed at the door. " What would you say to staying on the Nexus and working as liason for your brother?"

She blinked. " I'm a trained-"

" I know. Ryder will have ample support with his team,"

Sara's jealousy spiked. She was older and more level headed. " So you want me to handle my brother and make life easier for you?"

Tann nodded.

She shrugged. " I'll start tomorrow,"

Tann decided to step into the apartment and she closed and locked the door behind him. " I read in your file you have extended knowledge of firearms as well as experience with languages-"

Sara made herself a cup of coffee. God help them all when the coffee ran out. A lot of people would start killing each other. " I studied Protheans, Director,"

" Yes, yes. I meant to inquire into your ability to encrypt-"

" My brother was-is a nosy prick," She cut him off and seated herself at the small round table. " Director, I needed to encrypt my journal entries since I was ten, so yes, I am the expert on encryptions and codes and-"

Tann just soaked in her admission without stopping from detailing the full extent of her expertise right down to how people would go to her first for encrypting services instead of paying full price for the professional services. He liked what he heard and before she finished her cup of coffee he hired her not only as liason but also as his security adviser. Seeing as she couldn't take her eyes off him the entire time he stood in her apartment, she saw no harm in spending extended time with him. It may even be beneficial for her mental and emotional health with Scott about take off Eos.

The following morning she waited by Scott's door already dressed for the day and ready to see him off personally. " Hello," He greeted in full spirits. Smelling fresh and prepared for a new adventure, his smile added to his overflowing handsomeness. " Tann snag you?"

" Regrettably," She mumbled before checking her datapad. " At least you're in good hands with Harper and Kosta,"

He put his arm around her shoulder. They walked toward the docks. He guided her as they moved through the tired and potentially mutinous people. " I will faithfully email you every day,"

" You said that before, idiot,"

" I protest,"

" To the idiot part or the truth about you forgetting me to email every day while you were off building your career?"

" N-yes," Scott paused the argument as the Tempest towered over them. He snapped out of it as a female turian introduced herself. Sara lingered near as one of Addison's people tried to stop them from leaving on schedule. Sara's choice mumbling failed to be heard over the people boarding. Saying goodbye had never been Sara's strong suit so she waited until the Tempest shot off into the hopefully brighter future before emailing Scott a list of methods to treat common minor injuries in absence of medigel.

 **Give Tann Hell.** He emailed back quickly.

Reporting to Operations and Tann's closet cubicle, she retrieved the reports from Site 1 and Site 2. If Habitat 7 proved a bust then the other worlds surely were a bust too. She drifted from Security to Tann's closet to Kesh's office as the twelve hour shift dragged on. The reports piled high, so to speak, so she was reasonably engaged and mentally fatigued at the end of the day. The day failed to end there as Tann wanted to discuss Eos with her over some drinks in his apartment.

She waved at the scientists still hard at work before ducking down into the corridor that would lead to the Tram. " Ryder," Kandros caught up with her.

She glanced over at him. " Kandros,"

He radiated positive energy. " I owe you humble gratitude,"

The tram was packed with first shift workers so they waited for the next one.

" You owe me nothing," She insisted in feigned obliviousness. All day people either complained about leadership or praised her brother - except Addison. Addison doubted Scott's ability to get the job done. Addison even doubted her.

Kandros thrummed. " You'll be keeping Tann busy,"

" Oh," She kept watching the door as a small crowd started to form around them.

" And you're keeping him mentally engaged in something other than micromanaging all of us," Kandros whispered. " If you keep that up, we'll all pitch in for a small reward,"

She laughed. " I don't know if you know this...but even as you're handsome and a proper catch for any like minded lady, I happen to prefer Salarians. Working with Tann is a bonus. I have full faith that Cora will be micromanaging and babysitting Scott and to be his eyes and ears here is a reward in of itself. But I thank you for the thought, Kandros,"

The turian didn't know what to make of her reply, nor did the other workers waiting for passage away from their work area. Sara retreated into the happy place that provided her a retreat from the demanding Andromeda galaxy.


	3. Chapter 3

" No, no...if the radiation is that bad, the planet must be inhospitable," Sara argued with Tann over coffee in Tann's quarters. " If we can find the source of the radiation, if we could utilize the radiation-"

" It is too dangerous," Tann cut her off in growing agitation. After failing to hear a peep from her all day the moment they entered his apartment and he brought up how Eos was a complete failure, she turned on Pathfinder mode. " Too many people died for this,"

" And their sacrifices should mean something," Sara slammed her palm into the table and instantly regret it. " How many colonists are dead because we failed to provide proper protection? To account for an entirely different reality?"

" I hear you, Ryder, but no one - no one predicted this,"

" Then why are we giving up? Scientists don't quit if a theory is wrong. They conduct tests. Study life. Study change. Study structure. People are fallible. Science is not,"

Tann blinked and hung his head. Sara recognized the exhaustion. Everyone seemed to be at the breaking point lately. A lot of people regret coming to Andromeda. She felt for them but she already suffered rejection on a near universal level. This is nothing new to her.

" Tann, I'm not saying that life isn't hard here. What I'm saying is that we need to be chin up and press forward. Learn from the past, change the present, plan a future," Echoing her mother, heavens forbid her mother's memory actually heard her right now!, Sara almost believed herself. Almost.

" We are,"

" No, you aren't. You're existing. You're afraid. You've been burned and now are shy. As a man in your position, you need to shine and rain hope on people. Even if you're on death's edge. A pretty lie can make a painful death easier,"

Tann sighed. " Andromeda is your pretty lie,"

Sara shrugged. " Sometimes,"

" We are not as new to the darkness as you are," He whined.

" I know, which is why you need to put on the front. Pretend you know something. That the future is about to change-"

Tann leaned forward. " No one looks to me for hope, nor Addison for optimism or to the leadership as whole. Kandros and Kesh hold the people up and I need them to never falter,"

Sara nodded, biting herlip. Finally she checked the time on her omni tool. " I need sleep. We can start tomorrow on how to make people believe again. You need rest and you need to stop acting as if everything will shatter on a single small decision," Moving to stand, Sara leaned toward him. Tann reached for her hand and quickly grabbed it with an awkward gentleness. She pulled him into a hug and closed her eyes. " Everything can be fixed. You just have to believe,"

He stiffened.

She pulled away. " Sleep well, Director,"

Tann slumped down in his chair and remembered the hug. No one treated him as compassionately as Sara in a long time. He preferred it. It...touched him. For once he looked forward to another day in the Andromeda Galaxy. Moreso he wanted to make her smile and he didn't even know why.

The short walk back to her quarters gave Sara the opportunity to calm her nerves. She actually hugged Tann. He looked like he needed a hug and he didn't push her away. That was a positive, right?

She hummed to herself as she entered the apartment and called out to the nonexistent life partner. " Darling, I'm home," She kicked off her shoes and socks and dragged herself to the shower. Her clothes littered the floor behind her. Steam filled up the shower as she leaned against the wall eyes closed. Her palms pressed flat against the tile.

Resilience and Promise. Failed.

Countless lost to violent storms and radiation. No possible rebound plan. Pregnancy blockers still in place. Better that way until they found a prosperous home.

No escape from Andromeda.

What can she do except pray? And to what? God wasn't real. Science saved people. It gave them the ability to advance rapidly in many fields. Here they didn't have Mass Relays. Or Prothean technology to advance themselves.

" We can do this," She whispered in self-motivation. " We can be a hero. We can do this,"

It didn't feel like it yet and tomorrow she didn't expect anything to fundamentally change so soon. With a touch of hope she may be able to turn around people cynicism.

The hot water worked its wonders on still cryo thawing reflexes and she slinked off to the bed naked and exhausted. She fell asleep instantly.

Getting along without Sara to keep his steady, Scott relied on Cora and Vetra. Suvi and Kallo proved interesting to talk to, but neither really cared for weaponry or leadership. Kallo loved the ship as much as Gil, and Suvi prattled on about science as they scanned the planets in the current system before leaving the Nexus behind. It was Scott's way of making peace with leaving Sara behind without argument. No one bothered to press the issue of time to him even though Vetra informed him multiple times of the Nexus's dire position on surviving another year. Just how many times did Scott need to hear about the legendary Sarissa? At least in Dr. Lexi T'Perro he could chat medicine and her plans for her future whereas Vetra was secretative and uptight and Cora exuded military only talk aura.

Really, he was just disappointed that Sara needed to stay behind. Their careers separated them after school, and without a father or mother around, he wanted to ensure he didn't lose her either. Being an orphan did not suit either of them. The Tempest is a thing of marvel and beauty and to hear Kallo speak of it in nothing short of glowing terms assured him that it would serve everyone well. After all, if three drunk krogan and a c-sec battering ram failed to shatter the window between them and space, then he doubted much else would beside the scourge.

If he were honest with himself, he expected her to fall head over heels for Tann Jarun and he couldn't prevent it. Any salarian but Tann...Sara always had a thing for serious men though. The one time she dated a human it was a biotic who loved science and worshipped the Protheans more or less. Then she entered her career field and bye bye humans HELLO salarians.

Hovering at the research station, he reviewed his research options on the limited resources available to him. Better weaponry and armor is necessary, but Gil mentioned something about Mako's upgrade, Nomad. Nomad's ranked higher than the Mako according to the engineer and Gil wanted his hands on one.

" Pathfinder," Vetra moved past him carrying a datapad.

He glanced at its shielded contents, unable to make much out. She encrypted her datapad just like Sara. " Vetra...Does Sid...find Andromeda safe?"

" No," Vetra stopped in her tracks. She towered over him and yet he didn't care. She protected his back. He barely tolerated Kosta. Two people in an escape pod did not necessarily make a wonderful friendship. " She's never left the station,"

Scott would change that. He wanted even the most junior of colonists to feel safe. " One day she will, and when she does, you'll be begging her to stay off the station to start a new life," She tried to appear positive, except her shoulders stayed squared and her head returned automatically back to the datapad.

" Pathfinder, do you know when we'll be touching down on Eos?" Kosta jogged up to him. He twisted his wrist executing pull ups somehow and Dr. T'Perro warned Kosta to take it easy. Scott doubted the former HUSTL would and assured Dr. T'Perro another visit would take place soon.

Scott accessed the console. " Soon,"

" Yeah? How many people are going planetside?"

" Everyone except Kallo, Suvi, Gil, and Dr. T'Perro," Scott replied briskly. " Kosta, before we make it to Eos, try not to break anything. I need everyone on their toes,"

He put both his hands up, already grinning.

" I mean it, Kosta. We don't know what we're going to find down there, and Sara's email isn't reassuring. She made it multiple pages filled with emphasis on how awful the radiation is and how we need to be wary of the Kett. Too many reports of the Kett attacking colonists," Scott scanned down the list of weaponry that the Initiative brought with them and it current schematics. Even though they just arrived, he suspected people would make modications soon enough to the basic designs. Build prototypes. He needed to outfit his team with the best he could find as often as he could to stay on top and survive.

Liam Kosta backed away. " I won't break anything till we land on the planet," He promised before escaping to the cargo bay where he worked out and plotted his attempts at bringing people together. Scott acknowledged that Kosta did serve a purpose. He just wished that Kosta wasn't so reckless.


	4. Chapter 4

Entering atmosphere forced Scott into a micro panic attack as Habitat 7 flashed back to him. He flinched at the touch of a hand on his shoulder. Dr. T'Perro stood now at his side. " That doesn't look like Paradise,"

He shook his head, pushing images of floating rocks out of his immediate attention, and crossed his arms. " I'm beginning to suspect nothing in Andromeda will be Paradise,"

" Careful. I might put that in your evaluation," She warned him in jest. " Negativity in a Pathfinder is an unattractive and unprofessional quality,"

Scott smirked. " If SAM lets you,"

She shook her head. Scott admired her in passing. Between the flashbacks to Habitat 7 and acknowledging what Sara shared, the rare case of paranoia and fear left Scott in a hazardous position of appearing capable and not being on his toes like he ordered everyone to be. " Your SAM will learn his place,"

" _I am not party to this argument,_ " SAM replied to Scott on their private channel. " _Nor will I interfere with an evaluation by the medical doctor_ ,"

Ignoring his A.I. partner, Scott started for the back of the ship. He needed his lucky socks. " _This is an odd practice, Pathfinder,_ "

" SAM, you share my head. Call me Scott,"

Scott rooted through his sparse clothing for the one pair of socks that had been patched up over and over again. Sara threatened to throw them away time and time again, and yet allowed him to keep the socks. Finally he yanked his boots back on and headed for the armory. Gearing up for Eos felt more like going into combat. It wasn't often that Scott dreaded combat and exploration. Combat inevitably joined hands with exploration when conflicting parties clashed. After Habitat 7 Scott expected killing Kett would soon become common as swatting a fly. That bothered him. Killing should never be that easy.

He supervised everyone gearing up. Kosta joked with Vetra about what they might find down there while Cora remembered her training manuals and recounted them back to herself in a near silent mantra. Gil assured them that the Tempest would be safe if they were met with hostile conditions on surface, as long as Scott and team would take cover and hole up until they could land again. Too many people depended on them for Habitat 7's ghost to keep haunting him. If Sara could overcome watching one of their comrades die, then he could overcome floating rocks.

Who the hell was afraid of floating rocks? Not him! Pft. He was a man. He never feared rocks. Not even floating rocks.

Still, he carried extra ammunition and waited in the cargo bay for landing. Cora joined him and talked about what they might find on Eos. Kosta and Vetra checked their weapons and checked the time.

" We sync time when we land. If we are separated, we will regroup as soon as possible. If we are attacked by Kett, shoot to kill. If we come across any of our people, exiled or not, we will try to leave them alive," Scott instructed everyone. Relying on his former career experience, he fully expected to be able to bring back his people and the Tempest - successful or otherwise.

Vetra held her weapon at ease. " You don't need to worry about us. We're adults. We know how to stay alive,"

" Except for Kosta," Cora jabbed, glaring at Liam Kosta. " He delights in breaking brokes and injuring muscles,"

" I do not,"

" How many injuries have you sustained while-"

The argument was interrupted as the ship landed and the exit ramp unfolded out toward the ground below. Scott clenched his rifle close. No one on his team is dying in Andromeda. No one. Not even accident prone Liam Kosta. Facing what they called Eos hit Scott with a strong stench of despair.

Site 2 appeared as if something of force barreled through it. That was just from the ramp. The further they worked into the site, he spotted extensive damage, strewn Initiative debris, and loosely defined road that poorly showed how many people occupied Site 2. Vetra said nothing and frowned at the abandoned colony as if it wronged her.

Scott scanned everything he could with his omni-tool and SAM's advancing scanners. The database compiled everything for later access. He started to hum as he worked, spooking Cora who never worked extensively with him before. Kosta and Vetra split off to check out the nearby buildings while Scott and Cora tackled the other half of the buildings. " This isn't good." Scott pointed to the only thing saving them from the intense radiation that he tested twice just out curiosity. SAM yelled at him both times for his stupidity. " These of the later batches. Makes you want to know how many batches they actually used and how many might've been taken by the exiles,"

Cora nodded. Her omni-tool revealed less than Scott's. It revealed a fading life span that gave her pause. How much longer could these be expected to function at full compacity? Why weren't they retrieved from the surface after abandoning it? Such recklessness is impossible to forgive, even if the Nexus was under a lot of strain.

Resources were resources!

` " Breathe," Cora chided him with a gentle smile.

He forced a smile in return. Stupid helmet for showing his face. " We should see what Vetra and Kosta found,"

" I get the feeling you don't respect Kosta,"

" I respect his dedication to the job, but he's reckless. Dad always taught us that being reckless ends up with people dying. Kosta's taken risks all his life and gone through how many career choices?" Cora nodded. " At a certain point, a person needs to tame themselves and slow down. Not Dr. Carlisle retire, but respect his age and the risks of exploring a new galaxy. We don't even know if we can eat the fauna or wildlife without adverse effects. We don't even know if the wildlife is endangered here,"

Scott leaned against a set of steps, relaxing until they were either attacked or ghosts came out of the metalwork. Cora held her weapon at ease with her eyes roaming the bleak surroundings.

" I hope that Kosta gets his shit together before we end up dead," Pushing off the stairs, Scott spotted Vetra and Kosta exploring further up the hill . He checked his attitude at the door and was all business when they met up. Overall the news wasn't encouraging. No one could open locked doors. Power was out.

Great...if it wasn't his own team sabotaging their hopes of success it was the environment. He put his head down and put SAM to work.

If anyone said that the Nexus was boring, they underestimated the power of a fractured leadership. Sara also learned a new hatred for William Spender. It took her two days for a proper introduction to the slimeball and when they were alone in a corner, he asked her to his apartment quarters after hours. She almost punched him, saved only by Kandros who wanted to inquire after Tann's mood on the growing restlessness now that everyone was aware of the Pathfinder assigned to the case of finding everyone a home.

Naturally Sara decided that despite Spender's sexual advance she would try to judge him from her experiences with him. Kandros warned her that she should use in caution when dealing with Spender. The Xenophobe deserved nothing short of a proper spacing, but Kandros adhered to the regulations set by the Initiative, loose as they may be at the moment.

With Jien Garson's death, arks failing to show up, rationing, overtime, and a general sense of helplessness, the uprising was inevitable. The occasional hero like Kandros and Kesh kept the station together, but all that could be undone by Spender. He needed to go. Spacing may be too extreme, but he needed to be handled immediately in an appropriate poetic manner.

She kept a tail on him. Sometimes it was one of the recalled colonists who hated Spender. Sometimes she tailed him when she had the time. Tann afforded her the usual break schedule, often invading on her space to discuss business that was on his mind. This particular day Spender harassed Pipona Tortik as she managed the inventory onstation.

" These need rerouted-" He ordered Pipona, showing her a list of resources on his datapad.

They squared off. Sara lounged nearby and recorded it. In civilian clothing she blended right in.

" The pods already have power," Spender stated matter of factly.

" And when the power runs out?"

" The human ark-"

Sara repressed a growl. What. An. Ass.

The salarian stepped forward. "The human ark is not an eternal power source. You wantto threaten the lives of sleeping people for what exactly?"

Spender activated his communicator. " Addison,Kesh's salamanderis stopping me from moving power cells," Sara's jaw dropped.

Did he-did he just call Pipona Tortik an animal?

Addison's aggravated sigh punctured building tension. " I'll talk with Kesh," Sara's jaw set. Captain Dunn needed to disconnect the ark now if everyone here didn't care about proper preservation.

Correction. Addison and Spender had to be dealt with. Immediately.


	5. Chapter 5

Sara was always tried to be a professional person, and she always had an easier relationship with salarians and turians than she did any other race. She respected the turian sense of responsibility and she maintained a soft spot for salarians to the point that even though Tann was an ass she still preferred him to most humans. Some called that stupid, others called that interesting. Her brother preferred to tease her. To be fair, she teased Scott about his infatuation with the Asari.

So when Spender verbally abused Pipona she offered a hug to soothe the hurt and listened to Pipona gripe about Spender's leisurely trust in the new peace.

" And what will you do?" Pipona demanded as Sara replayed the confrontation in support of her position on Spender.

Sara stepped in toward someone she considered a friend. " He called you-" Her tongue refused to utter the word. " -a slur," It disgusted her that a human used the word outside of its designation. She thought everyone was through with this racist bullshit.

Pipona shrugged, her tall thin body sagging in exhaustion. " No one will do anything and even if Kesh wins against Addison, we'll lose another battle every day more than once a day," She clasped her hands together and shrunk into herself.

The silence between them stung. She had the ability to go to someone high up, if she had nothing else. " I am sorry to hear that," She took Pipona's hands in hers. " I promise to pass this footage back to Tann,"

She scoffed. " He's just as bad as Spender,"

" But he is a salarian and the Director," Sara pointed out, stepping back. " We'll fix this. Someone should put Spender down like the rabid pyjak he is," Pipona choked on laughter and Sara smiled.

They walked back to the power cells that Spender previously wanted.

Kandros supervised Kesh and Addison in Kesh's office. No doubt the whole station would soon learn about the contents of this meeting. " Spare power cells do not create themselves. Why do you need spare cells?" Kesh confronted Addison while calmly standing behind her pedestal 'of destiny'. She started to mentally call it that after awhile given that she was controlling the ability to see a future by surviving day by day.

Addison wisely kept her distance. " I do not need to justify every need to you," She crossed her arms and cocked her hip.

" When it concerns keeping my station running, yes it does. Your man is insulting my help daily. Lack of professionalism aside, you need to lose the dead weight. It's bringing this entire station down. I have to protect the resources before you export them off this station,"

" I do not export the-"

" I have three reports stating that you requested resources for-"

" Then those reports were manufactured!" Addison huffed in disbelief.

Kandros distrusted Addison's disbelief and honestly believed Kesh. He'd still require the reports as proof. Leaning against the wall, he kept an eye on Kesh. Kesh could kill Addison if she wanted to. Kandros doubted that he could stop a raging krogan but his position demanded that he'd try.

" Spender is the reason I'm able to accomplish anything," Addison defended herself more calmly under Kesh's steady stare.

Kesh moved from her position and Kandros touched his rifle. " No, Kesh, no," She considered disobeying him before staying behind her pedestal.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Kandros went back to pondering the damage Addison and Tann inflicted on the station via their inability to control their people. " I've had to keep him from sabotage the rationing for turians and salarians. You can't control him. You never could. Get rid of him. This is MY station and I am responsible for ensuring that everything is holding together. That includes power cells," She pointed at Addison.

Addison's lip quivered. " You are not the Director,"

" No, I'm not," Kesh thundered. " You stand in my office daring to tell me to sacrifice people, to ignore your man's damaging behavior, and expect me to respect you?"

Kandros stepped in between and put his arms out, talons pointed at both the women. " Think of your surroundings," His mandibles clicked. It was days like this he missed his previous home.

Addison stormed out of the office and Kesh lowered her head to tap away at the pedestal's raised holographic buttons. Kandros maintained his own distance from Kesh. " Do you have the reports?"

Kesh handed over a datapad without a word. Kandros hoofed it back to his own space to hide in the security of guards who wanted nothing more to do than work a normal easy shift with no threat of the station collapsing on itself.

Addison's misery wasn't about to end though.

After shift, Sara visited Tann in his quarters. She replayed the confrontation for him. He picked through a choice of salarian rations assigned for this week. Sara sat at the table and watched him indecisively pass his hands over the seven meals. " What are you going to do?"

Tann refused to look at her. He finally chose one of the packages and inserted into the cooker. " I can not act on a slur. I understand your frustration," His back to her, he missed her hands shaking.

Her lip twitched. " But you can put pressure on Addison," What use was he if he didn't manage his colleagues better?

He put a tray of food on his table. " Yes, but she is the Director of Colonial Affairs,"

" She has no colony to oversee!" Sara burst before breathing slowly. " Spender runs wild. He is representing humans. He is an insult to me. How is he not considered bad management?"

They locked eyes. Tann motioned for her to sit with him. " Many have complained of Spender before you. I doubt that incident will change status quo,"

" Can't you demand half hour updates from Colonial Affairs?" Paperwork was everyone's nightmare.

Tann almost choked on his food. " Do you know how much backlash I would suffer for that?"

Sara threw up a hand. " Fine,"

He motioned to his food. " We will speak more tomorrow. Maybe Spender will flee to Kadara if we are lucky," Sara stood and walked toward the door. " Should you see anymore confrontations, record them. I can use a record to force resignation - of Addison if she doesn't replace her faulty workers, and of the offender," Sara gave him the thumbs up, happy to know that Tann wanted to support the goodwill mission.

Once she left, Tann grumbled over his food about Addison's 'lover'. Colonial Affairs. More like Colonial nightmare. Reports every half hour, while rewarding, would also bury him in work that he didn't need added to list of worries. As he told Sara, everyone already hated him. He needed to equal across the board or risk even more backlash.

Even though it's been a short week since Sara arrived at Nexus, she proved to be an amusing and helpful companion. He looked forward to greeting her in the morning and wishing her a pleasant evening at the end of shift. Her professionalism defused tense situations when he sent her out to handle business on his behalf. He wanted to see her smile because she deserved to smile. After everything that she's been through, and the sacrifice their family committed to serve everyone's needs, was it too much to want her to smile? To hope? To do anything other than needing and wanting something beyond everyone's reach?

No. He respected Sara Ryder and her determination.

He admired her drive to support everyone.

More importantly, as a person, he wanted her to be happy.


	6. Chapter 6

SAM approved of the Nomad and Gil ordered updates on its handling as Scott, Vetra, and Cora set off for one of the alien towers. Kosta boarded the ship and expected the worst guarding the cargo bay against possible Kett invasion. He monitored the team comms as boredom set in.

Inane chatter back and forth proved to be of little interest.

" The Asari can study anywhere," Cora praised someone not yet introduced to the team.

Kosta leaned forward while sitting on a crate. He no longer expected a Kett attack. The Nomad fit three and Scott preferred the company of ladies, apparently.

" Rem-tech. Not quite like the prothean technology," Scott pitched in optimistically. " A lot of potential. Sara should be here,"

" Sara would never leave the planet," Cora replied in generous approval. " Enemies aside, everyone loves a mystery,"

Damn it! He wanted to be there with them! To see the technology. To determine how it could help settle a worldy by measuring its realistic risks. He needed access to current weaponry so he could integrate into the team's arsenal. Being selfish ruined any happiness he harbored for advancing the Nexus's goal.

The same frustration came back to him. Fitting in and appearing normal mattered to him. Andromeda was supposed to be a new start. A blank slate. So far it proved to be a challenging blank slate.

" Can you imagine the mystery behind this place though? Why three pillars? Why all the jutting structures?" Scott posed for the group. " Addison was aware of the structures before. I wonder why she never mentioned them in her reports available to us,"

Liam shook his head. Addison's frustration with her position bled into how she treated people. Unfortunately it also tainted how people viewed her. He liased with her to ensure that Scott succeeded. Her frustration increased daily with the incompetence surrounding her. Liam almost understood, but the manner in which she treated the Pathfinder indicated she almost wanted the Initiative to fail.

Addison likely considered the technology unimportant, truth be told. In face of radiation, Kett, lack of resources, alien technology ranked low on the priority list.

" Not enough time?" Cora suggested diplomatically.

" No. The Nexus tried twice. She gave up," Vetra argued bitterly. " We're surviving out here, not living,"

" We'll change that," Scott promised sincerely. " Look at…"

The comms cut out after a spell of silence. Kosta swapped with Gil just in case Kett attacked. Bedding down for an hour or two, Liam Kosta put his comrades safety out of mind but not out of heart.

The vault astounded everyone. It's front door nearly gave Scott a heart attack on the way down of the variable gravity well. It's vastness reduced them to foreign star dust in comparison. Yet the stillness beckoned to Scott. He hummed over the channel, spooking Cora again. Cora gave Scott a dirty look. Vetra's eyes tracked the angular ceiling as far as her eyes permitted. Her fingers relaxed on her rifle.

" She's beautiful," Scott purred over the comms gazing up at the tree in the center of a platform. How it survived down here was amazing. Impossible. Miraculous. He needed to plant them all along the surface of Eos because of its beauty and resilience. He needed to make it the mascot of Site 2.

Everyone lined up out of unconscient accord. " Complicated," Cora agreed in fading awe. Habitat 7's vault nearly killed Scott. No one yet fully or even faintly understood this technology. Her stomach twisted in a knot. If they lost Scott she might become Pathfinder.

Shame pushed that desire to the back. She shouldn't want Scott to die. He almost died and survived by her mentor's sacrifice. Sara may not keep her sanity if she became an orphan. The Ryder Clan...no. Cora simply refused to step on others to ascend. Her own merit pushed her to here. She didn't need to prove anything to anyone.

Vetra nudged a container. " Scott,"

" On it," Scott hurried to comply, scanning everything. SAM recorded all the visuals for records and research. Until they returned to a buoy to pass along the information packet, no one would tap into this but Suvi Anwar.

The deceptively small container opened to reveal an odd shaped cavity full of Remnant loot. More dotted their paths as they worked downward toward the hexagonal columns. If the creators of this technology needed a way to reach destinations, was all the consoles necessary? Isn't there an easier method if you wanted to make it difficult on intruders?

The stream of electrical charged fluid blocked their paths more than once. Bad engineering? Scott, Cora, and Vetra had no explanation for it. Their tag-a-long, Peebee tested the key that they found at the beginning of the vault. Thus far the entire vault decided to give most life a middle finger. Either the creators had a sense of humor or the creators were an alien race that could float?

Scott extinguished the beam from the main restart console and the entire place lit up. Cora rocked on her heels as a wave of violent dust cloud swept away all life forms in its path. " Go!"

Heart pounding, muscles tensed, Scott darted for the exit with Cora and Vetra on his heels. Nearly stumbling over shields and forced to take ramps, Scott cursed his bad luck. Habitat 7 vault = nearly successful. Eos = a proud attempt. Future vaults = pray hard.

" Sara should be here…" He thought out loud as he counted the vault worlds. Of all the galaxies to land in, the Remtech creators paved a way. " Gorgeous,"

" Not what I would call it," Vetra replied in growing respect. " The data this place must hold."

Peebee resisted touching the holographic imaging. " Who...how...why?"

" Indeed. Sara will ask the same," Scott mumbled. He sighed. " Let's go,"

Cora glanced over at the depth of the cavernous hellish pit of intrigue. She needed to keep her priorities in line. Would have, should have, could haves never solved anything. Her service with the Asari would instruct her to think this through, appreciate its experience, and utilize that for a better understood enemy. She fully intended to do just that.

Kallo and Suvi studied the dirt samples Kosta retrieved for them while Scott and company were in the vault. He retrieved every bit of plant life he could find, hoping that Suvi didn't skewer him for not being gentle and precise in his choice specimen. He scrubbed off the dirt and dust off his armor before storing the armor on the cubicle shelving in the crew quarters. When he returned to the bio lab the pair whispered rapidly back and forth about scientific mumbo jumbo that made little sense to him.

" Everything good?" He held a thumb to them approaching slowly.

Kallo motioned him closer. " This is incredible. It already shows signs of growth and stagnate evolution. This fauna isn't radiated, but it's cellular structure is different from plants in the milky way," Suvi adjusted the microscopic sample dish under the lense and kept her eye pressed to the instrument.

Kosta nodded. " Soo…"

" We won't know the full use of this knowledge until we learn more about Andromeda's native fauna and wildlife," Kallo informed him. " Suvi's the person to consult on this. I helped design the Tempest, not study biology but salarians have a short life span. We are forced to learn multiple fields to varying degrees of expertise,"

" That must make every moment a lifetime to you then, Kallo?" Kosta never considered how hard life must be for their race. The biological shaft certainly favored them over the other races that traveled to Andromeda. " Your mind is sharp. You may give Suvi a worthy challenge,"

Suvi's head lifted slowly. " Not academic, certainly,"

Kosta threw up his hands. " I know when to step back, Miss Science Officer," Her eyes narrowed on him. " My bad...I'll uh...fetch more samples tomorrow,"

Kallo nudged him. " If only the scourge were as sympathetic to our curiosity," Kosta definitely understood that all the way to the bank. A shame that the scourge existed at all. His comrades would still be alive. People, many people would still be alive. Those were the breaks in life though. If he expected an easy place, he traveled to the wrong galaxy.

Problem was….the galaxy never stopped being generous in that regard. It slapped everyone in the face. Not even wrenching on the family car could cheer him up. Next time they made port in Nexus the pet pyjak would become the Tempest pet. It that wasn't something normal for him to indulge in, he needed a different career .


	7. Chapter 7

The sky cleaned up noticeably once they stepped out of the vault. SAM's report cheered the team up. Finding a spot to found the new colony outpost proved easier - until they encountered Drack singlehandedly taking on a horde of Kett.

Vetra jumped right in, taking cover behind an outcropping and waiting for the moment to fire. Cora biotic punche one of the less fiercesome kett that people started calling Chosen. Scott popped off multiple rounds into several kett before unsheathing the asari blade and cutting through any chosen foolish enough to rush him. Cora lifted one of the annointed sideways into the air exposing it to more fire. Drack let out a roar, charging and tackling an unimpressed annointed to the ground meleeing the kett to death with his warhammer.

Everyone stood back and waited for Drack to acknowledge them. Afterwards Scott ordered SAM to send the request to Addison for an outpost founded in emphasis on science.

" What if Tann tries to force a military presence there?" Vetra asked once they returned to the ship. " You are the Pathfinder but Addison is - well, she's difficult,"

Difficult failed to compare to what Scott faced. He fully expected a battle once the colonists arrived. His job just started here, and it would never end. He stuffed his face with dried cow rehydrated to barely tolerable taste. Oddly enough, the taste no longer bothered him as much it used to. " I'll have Sara romance him to agreeing with me," He replied flippantly in between bites.

Vetra crossed her arms. The debriefing reeked of optimism. Surviving and finding a home now felt possible instead of a dream. " I'll trust that Sara is capable of making Tann care,"

" Trust? Sara and Tann are practically the same person. If faced with the prospect of being taken captive and forced to reveal information, she'll put the gun to her head before exposing secrets. If she were faced with diplomatic explosion, she'd throw herself in the middle of it without hesitation,"

" Tann wouldn't take his own life,"

" No, but Tann politically spars every day," Scott leaned back in the booth. " And without his extreme measures the Nexus crew would be deeper in the hole,"

Vetra uncrossed her arms. " I'm not saying that he didn't have moments of intelligence,"

He smiled. " I know,"

She shook a talon at him. " Addison will criticise this too,"

The warning failed to deflate Scott's optimism. He cleared the skies on Eos and lived to tell the tale. That alone made his father's memory proud. Reality checked his expectations though. He wanted to stay and help the colonists before investigating the best lead they had on the vaults. A pathfinder put themselves at the mercy of the people once paths were founded. Plus he wanted a home when everything settled down. Maybe Eos could be that home.

" How many days? Liam won't tell me what he and Addison talked about," Vetra moved closer. They gained an audience - Dr. T'Perro joined them for Scott's choice in food. Scott gladly let her keep the remaining half.

Scott and Vetra counted down the days until Addison arrived with Kandros and the first colonists. Suvi and Kallo continued to send Liam and Cora out for samples from different locations. The bio lab soon sported sample jars on shelves of fauna that may or may not be edible. The weight of the responsibilities lessened a new hands moved into cultivate life and try to give them a fighting chance. The Nexus buzzed with new information giving the scientists something to study.

No doubt this big step forward rejuvenated tired spirits.

Up to the day Addison arrived Liam communicated with the director about essentials that evaded Scott's notice. Liam assessed the risk of Eos - sometimes with or without a partner. Gil refused to let him drive the Nomad although Scott's driving sent them off a cliff several times already - twice on purpose.

He submit the list to both Addison and Kandros upon their landing. Kandros put it aside for light reading later while Addison proceeded to insult Scott. Scott walked away disgusted with his leadership's choice of character. Kandros conducted his own review of the location.

" We'll start moving the older equipment over and make this a new home," Kandros assured Liam while Scott talked to Bradley about the new outpost. " Service what we can,"

" Excellent," Liam bounced from one foot to another. " " Do you - have you got a read on Addison?"

" She's happy to have something to throw at Tann," Kandros answered as expected. " And Tann's happy to send people away from the Nexus,"

" Hopefully to permanently settle," Liam voiced all of their concerns. " If not permanent, then damn near permanent,"

" Careful, Kosta. You're starting to sound like a certain director," Kandros stopped near Cora, who wanted to help with assessing the risks of the site. " Are you ready, Harper?"

Cora shook Kosta's hand. " Happy to see progress. Especially since we're waking people to build again,"

" Naturally the Pathfinder and team are the talk of the hour. I even considered requesting to join the team, then decided I already commanded an excellent team that needs me more,"

" You're a force on the Nexus. We wouldn't want to see that wasted," Cora checked her armor and recounted the ammo. Since the skies cleared, more kett visited Eos. Perhaps visiting is the wrong idea - more like attempted conquering.

Kosta watched Cora and Kandros advance toward the edges of the settlement. He already surveyed everything once and found it infuriating that they didn't trust his work. A second eye never hurt. Or a third and fourth. Surviving in Andromeda tested his pride and patience, and it certainly gave him options on what to do once the Pathfinder replaced him on the team in the future.

It wasn't long before Addison tracked him down. " I see you're broken finger healed,"

" Uh," Kosta ran his hand over his nappy hair. " I almost broke a foot yesterday when Gil almost ran over my foot,"

" Ran over?" Addison gasped.

He shrugged it off. " He was too busy testing the Nomad and I didn't hear him-"

Addison put her hand on his arm in genuine concern. " Be careful. What you collect and record is exclusive almost. I can't replace you," Truthfully he was her best in-field contact and he took many risks. Almost too many now that she recollected what she asked of him to-date.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kosta spotted Peebee help transport crates for the crew prepping the site. Likely she'd help bring old equipment to Podromos as well. Scott's fudging of paperwork permitted her in some comfort of not being discovered the Nexus as a stowaway snuck aboard the Nexus by an old 'friend'. She refused to go into too much detail about it. No one pushed, and Dr. T'Perro was thrawted at every attempt to interview Peebee and learn what kind of person the younger asari was. When side by side, Lexi interested Scott more than Peebee. Vetra teased Scott about his preference for the doctor - and his lack of complaint when Lexi gave him shots and physicals after multiple outings on Eos.

" What did you want me to investigate next? The radiation is still clinging to the surface in pockets, but Ryder doesn't have immediately plans to leave Eos just yet until the colonists are confident that they are safe and being looked after properly,"

Addison rolled her eyes. " He's a Pathfinder. Isn't his job description to 'path find'?"

" Remind me again why you haven't resigned if you're so against being a public face?" Kosta shot back curiously.

She stood angular to him, arms crossed. " My face is tired….No one is prepared for the position. And if they were, it's too hard to make a living now for me to resign it to someone who'd be fresh out of cryo,"

" What about me?"

" You?" She stared at him in shock. " You're on the Pathfinder team,"

He shrugged. " Until I can be replaced. He already has Cora, and it wouldn't be too much effort to shift Sara back onto the team,"

She seriously considered him. " You would be interested in becoming Director of Colonial Affairs?" He nodded. " Are you certain you could handle the pressure?" He nodded again, become just as frustrated with her as he was with everything else. Nothing needed to be this hard just to survive. A promise of keeping his request in mind, Addison invited him to walk with her as she got a general idea of what was going to go where. Kosta seriously invested his attention into the activities as one day he might be taking this position.

Once Addison exited Peebee's immediate area, she turned to one of the help and griped about the leadership putting on a show after they fumbled survival on the Nexus. The young then griped to her about how his mother and sister had moved from one block of colonists to another because the outpost was based on scientific pursuits and not military pursuits. The pair seemed to hit off a friendship that made the moving of supplies and equipment faster than anyone expected.

" Well would you look at that," Scott nudged Dr. T'Perro as they watched Peebee from a short distance away, obscured by brush and people and obstacles. " She's actually being social,"

" The being social part isn't what concerns me. What concerns me is that she's not committing to anything with the same sense of devotion the rest of us have to survival, or perhaps her definition of survival is different than ours," Lexi replied seriously. " Her enthusiasm and youthful spirit is appreciated nonetheless,"

Scott smiled at his favorite doctor. " I take it her living in the escape pod isn't a sign of some kind of insanity then?"

" No, but she does need an anchor. You have Sara. She has no one but her fascination with Rem-tech," Lexi smiled back. " I heard tale that they plan to create a Vortex on Eos,"

" First drinks are on me then,"

" I'll hold you to that," She walked back toward the ship to check her database of medical testing of Eos fauna. So much work to undertake, so little time.


	8. Chapter 8

Lexi patched Kosta's sprained wrist up as Kosta complained about a lack of specialized crisis team. " Create one then," She muttered as she wrapped the medigel infused bandaging that would heal his sprained muscles.

He threw his other hand up, datapad still attached. " I tried. No one wants to work with me and Kandros said we need the people more mobile and not location central,"

" How did you accomplish this again?" Lexi needed to sit down with Scott and review the medical logs that SAM collected for her. She specifically wanted to see who reacted unfavorably to the fauna. Someone already almost died of inhaling a local pollen. That person was relocated to the Nexus promptly and they screened every human for the genetic marker responsible for similar pollen allergies.

" Why? Are you going to tell the Pathfinder?"

" No. But I need to know for your records,"

" Which the Pathfinder will have access to,"

" Protocol protects your privacy, Liam," Lexi reminded him before washing her hands and preparing the incident report. " How or what lead to this injury?"

Eventually Kosta confided that he'd jump jetted between rocky outcroppings and misjudged a landing. Lexi added the injury to a growing list of relatively minor injuries, if one counted broken body parts minor. She glanced up when Scott entered wearing his short sleeved uniform. He switched it every day between the outfits in his limited wardrobe. Scott smiled at her. " Hey, Doc,"

" Ryder," She purred. " You're early,"

He brushed his hand through his hair. " I'll check the emails later. We planted the receiver - well built it. With some help from Tantos and Wells. Took us well over four hours once we had all the equipment on site and then we had to test the receiver and establish the official channel with the Nexus and Podromos-"

She listened to him prattle on with admiration for his ability to see the settling effort to a temporary end. His pride resonated in his low profile boasting " Boosting the Signal I see," She teased him kindly as she prepped a booster shot.

He rolled up his sleeve for her. " You seem to be settling in," His eyes tracked her every step with minute attention. For all the comical, unprofessional relief that Scott practiced, he still mimicked Alec Ryder in many ways.

" Have I ever told you, Scott, that you remind me of my father?"

" No, but I will accept the compliment," She grabbed hold of his arm and turned it vein up. Her eyes focused on his vein as he focused on her still serious expression. He preferred her lack of facial make up. It amplified her beauty. " Do you miss your father?"

" His death isn't as fresh in my memory but I do miss him when I think about the sacrfices he made - along with my mother - to ensure my education," She pulled back the injection implement and waited for the area to reduce temporary stinging. " It must be hard to push ahead knowing your father won't be able to bear witness,"

Rolling his sleeves back down, Scott shrugged off the grief once again. " Not hard. Wish I had his training under my belt," A lot of people would have benefitted from it.

She filed an update on his latest booster. " When you see Peebee, send her here. She needs a physical on record,"

Scott chuckled. " You have better odds of dissuading Drack from killing kett,"

" Scott,"

He put his hands up defensively. " I will direct her," Backing out of the med bay he walked right into Kosta and Cora arguing about how to best set up the defense turrets. Edging around them and to his quarters, he sat down at the desk and checked his email at the personal terminal. Sara left him 10 separate titled emails.

 **Wish I Could Visit**

 **Just to let you know, Addison is fussing about your choice to make the outpost about science. She felt it was her choice to do so even though SAM and I already established clear lines what is and what isn't Pathfinder specific. Tann isn't much better. He isn't so certain a lack of military presence is safe. We're explorers, not invaders.**

 **Station is quiet ever since Spender learned I was recording him being an ass to people. Turns out Addison ordered him to lay low with the publicity faded. Sad to say I think their plan will work. Everyone is talking about Eos. No one is talking about its experimental status yet. Small blessings.**

 **Wish I were there. It sounds amazing. Please keep me well informed of everything. I can keep Tann from guessing and give Kesh a ray of hope as we gain a greater foothold,**

 **Sara**

 **Shame on You!**

 **You did not tell me that you specifically set up a decontamination zone around the receiver site! Why couldn't you wait till the radiation faded?! I know you're impatient at times but Dad taught you better!**

 **Sara ( Don't even think of apologizing, Jerk)**

Scott sighed. One of these days he'd be sending the same email for a different reason.

 **Nexus Update #1**

 **Got wind of some rumors from Kandros's teams. Supposedly the kett aren't as entrenched as we thought. Their equipment is everywhere and it's all over the place scientifically. The science and medical departments do not know what to make of them. I figured SAM would be of help but his scans are just as unhelpful. Win some - lose some.**

 **Keep an eye out. Supposedly there's a large kett monster out there that can withstand superior fire power and spit acid. I wish we could get a break...could be worse. At least we're not dealing with pirates yet.**

 **Sara**

 **Nexus Update # 2**

 **How's everything?**

 **I demand an update on your adventures. Have you no concern for my curiosity?"**

 **Sara**

Scott laughed as he replied to the first mass of emails with the extensive list of tasks that somehow accumulated during his initial rounds of Podromos interviews. He included a copy of Addison's email ordering him to continue a specific list of tasks that he flat out refused to follow at this moment. Addison wasn't his boss and he wasn't going to bow down to her whim and will. He hoped the universe helped him out with Addison because not even Sara tried to 'make nice' with the woman. Let's face it - he needed his twin in his life even if it was long distance communication. He needed to know she'd chew him a new hole if he did anything stupid. He needed a safety blanket, or as Kosta called it, normal.

Lexi already warned him that if he didn't slow down and breathe he would burn out. He couldn't permit a slow in pace for fear of losing the ground they were gaining.

It couldn't hurt to request Sara return to his team. The next email passed to Tann. He needed to pursue the next lead and Sara wanted off the Nexus for adventure.

He bunkered down for the other six emails with Lexi bringing dinner to him and eating with him. " Sara's on a rampage. Apparently there's not enough new research for her to work on and as an explorer she's itching for new sites," He lounged across from her.

She long since grown to care about Scott's well being on a personal level. They bonded during meals and well checks. In that short time, Scott grown to appreciate her groundedness. She reminded him of Sara in some manner and yet her own distinctive character made her different. Whereas Sara exhibited a lack of inhibition when faced with a new discovery, Lexi maintained a levelheadedness. Sara held onto their parent's memory stubbornly while Lexi sought approval through her future choices.

Scott's eyes lingered on her lovely slender form.. She didn't notice as she gazed out over a growing Podromos. " What about you? What makes you itch?"

She smirked. " I want to know why Colonist 4382 almost died of pollen. I want to know why Colonist 3160 developed a rash after using an experimental salve,"

" Oh? And here I hoped you had bigger dreams," He teased. Her valid questions certainly posed a medical mystery equivalent of Sara investigating Remnant pillars.

" Pathfinder, the report was acknowledged, accepted, and Director Tann has prepared Sara for return to the team," SAM interrupted. " When did you wish to retrieve your sister?"

Lexi smiled. " We are nothing without an anchor,"

" How would you like to be my anchor, Lexi?" Scott asked seriously.

She crossed her arms. " Just like that?"

" I'm flexible," Scott cleared his throat. " I'm not a Turian but-" She stood up. " I'm sorry!"

Except she blushed and didn't know what to say. She genuinely liked Scott and didn't want to ruin what they had. She granted him mercy and finally looked at him. " Dinner tomorrow?"

He let out a sigh of relief. " Looking forward to it,"

Once safe in the med bay Lexi sunk down into her chair and couldn't stop smiling.


	9. Chapter 9

" You are in a good mood considering that Addison practically ripped you limb from limb for daring to step into her sanctuary," Kandros greeted Sara when she stepped down from the information wall. Every day she checked to see how many days until vacation and every day it hasn't changed. She hoped it was a glitch in the programming.

She twirled in front of him. " I am rejoining the team. As soon as Scott returns to the Nexus,"

" Careful what you wish for," Kandros warned her while reading from his datapad.

She crossed her arms and stood near him. " I am an explorer, Kandros, not a stay at home decoration," Sara sighed. " I will miss all this though. Kesh, you, Tann...Kesh is becoming like a sister to me. Never thought I'd say that about a krogan," Kandros almost chuckled at that slip of the tongue. " And the hours we spend griping about this place would probably fill volumes of history. Even Tann's got a certain personality that makes him unbearable and charming at the same time,"

The comical expression warned Sara that Kandros would never believe her.

" I know...I'm weird," She smiled and clutched her hands behind her back. " But not everyone sees him try to make everything work. It's a puzzle. Every piece relies on him to keep this place and organization from falling apart,"

" He could try to be less intolerant about small luxuries," Kandros pointed out. " His heavy handed one person decisions benefit no one,"

" Does it though? I mean...we can't all not work long hours. Our numbers don't support it. Rations are short. We have enemies on the doorstep. Settling new worlds isn't easy. How many horror stories have heard about from colonies in the Milky Way? The Attican Traverse -"

" I'm not arguing that we shouldn't expect to work for it. I'm saying that - I want to keep people alive, not dead," He sighed heavily. " We've become too far to regress,"

" I know. Who do you think listens to Tann everyday? Yesterday he worried if we would ever find a perfect place to grow suitable crops, and the day before how to replace you if you were to be killed. You're valuable. And your teams are one of the Nexus's greatest assets. Tann knows this,"

For once Kandros lacked a response.

She put her hand on his shoulder. " You know full well how much security you provide people. You know that people will support you no matter your choices. You're a good man, Kandros, and Tann knows it," He took her hand in his and held it briefly before letting go. " Now don't let him know that he values your work,"

" Boss, reports on the supply run are submitted. Still waiting to debrief Team Hotel and to assess the next assignment," Holland reported to Kandros after patiently waiting for Sara to leave. Waiting any longer no longer appealed to him. Sara glanced the impatient human male over head to toe. Probably one of Addison's spies. Or just an asshole who distrusted her because she trusted Tann. " Ryder,"

She nodded back before dismissing him from her notice. " I have to get back to this list of interviews. Apparently Tann prefers an extra hand with his work. Leadership. It either crushes you or changes you. Good talking to you Kandros," Jogging off to the tram she needed to talk with one of the botany experts. Tann wanted cross trained people to help him make better decisions.

Her list of interviews lead her all over the Nexus for two days before she delivered a raw, naive soldier with a background in pyschology and sociology. Tann put the young man to work instantly. She almost escaped unnoticed.

" Don't think that I will forget how useful you are," Tann called after her.

" Oh ho,!" She turned on her heel to face him half way down the steps giving him the high ground. " Just useful?" She put a hand over her heart. " But it would be a shame to be forgotten,"

His lip twitched. " I thank you for your help,"

" And I thank you for keeping me from killing Addison. And Spender,"

" For someone who is calm, you hold a chasm of hate," Tann shook a finger at her. " Your beauty fools even me at times,"

She quirked a brow. " Really? From the bureaucrat? Well, at least I make an excellent spy then,"

He went back to tapping at the console. " I know too well what you are capable of. Where you draw lines. Why you draw lines,"

She walked back over to him and leaned on the console casually. " Tann,"

He blinked in confusion.

" I hope we can be friends, not just colleagues," She watched his blank expression with growing internal frustration. " Working with you has been a privilege,"

He blinked again. " I-"

" Will we work together in the future?" She pushed before he thought too much about it. Her heart hammered in her chest as she pondered a future without him.

Finally he spoke. " I would never refuse the opportunity to work with you again,"

" I-I thank you," She stood up straight and sighed. " Take it easy on the kid,"

" His next assignment is convincing Addison to vote on increasing personnel at Eos," Tann replied seriously. " Because of your brother, more people are confident we can make our plants grow here and the environment won't roll over us,"

She smiled gently.

" We're already prepping to remove cryo blockers for willing colonists," Tann looked her over like she was interested. She motioned him to lean in. He did so after he noticed the smirk nipping at her mouth's corner. " After we settle the galaxy I will add your name to the list," She pat his head affectionately and made to leave.

His eyes followed her.

" Don't break the new help!" She called over her shoulder at him on her way out.

Tann, unfortunately, underestimated Addison and overestimated his new help. Kandros sent Addison to the med lab for care and the kid to a cell to think off the decision to engage in fisticuffs. Kandros pinged Sara to bail out the new kid. Sara arrived with the intent to murder someone. Kandros rivaled her. " I know that we all loathe Addison, but assaulting her?"

" I don't suppose asking you to let him go is doable?"

" NO."

She put her hand up. " I had two hours of sleep last night," She explained. " And now I'm working on less than three hours. What are my options with him?" Said human leaned against the wall and stared at him.

Kandros heaved in growing irritation. " If I let him go, it'll make Tann look back. If I keep him in a few days, we add to the stress of this station. What do yo suggest I do?" Sara chewed her lip in thought, shifting weight from one foot to another.

" Community service. Send him off the Nexus to Eos. Give his anger a purpose. Besides he knows how to handle a weapon and himself. How banged up is Addison?" Sara rubbed her eyes. She looked forward to sleep on the Tempest. Kandros's right hand showed her a picture over kandros's shoulder. Sara let out a whistle. Definite Eos material,"

Kandros huffed. " I vote you Director of Nexus,"

" Why? Because I actually put up with people and come up with creative solutions?" Her mind refused to be creative right now. Eyelids throbbed. They were lucky she even made it to the tram.

Kandros put his hand on her shoulder. " You look like shit. Go sleep it off. Hug your brother tomorrow. Seek your adventure," She covered a yawn. He walked her to the tram and then to her room. Before she said goodnight, Kandros pulled her into a kiss and carried her to the bed. Sara clung to him as he laid on top of her and trailed his talons along her sides.

" Kandros?" She cupped his cheeks.

He looked her in the eye. " Yes?"

" I don't know too much about Turians,"

" I don't know too much about humans either,"

She yanked him down into a kiss. Kandros didn't care if this pissed off Tann. He admired Sara's ambitions, professionalism, and character. Sara was tired of waiting for Tann to realize her interest in him, and she was tired of holding out on her own physical pleasures. She was never the homebody, monogamous type anyway. And Tann as a Salarian was asexual. This was her relief in the here and now and she wasn't ashamed to embrace it.


	10. Chapter 10

Kandros rapidly approached the docks as Sara greeted Scott with a hug and in turn bear hugged by Scott. He caught snippets of the conversation passing between the female turian well known for her resourcefulness, Kesh's good friend Vetra.

" I feel like I know you already," Vetra held out a hand to Sara, who shook it firmly. That was the Sara he knew. Not infallible but just as determined as her father who almost ruined the family name. Kandros suspected the reverse would be believed in Andromeda once everyone was settled.

Sara laughed. " I've heard nothing but good things about you. Scott's impressed by your-"

Scott tapped at his omni-tool.

" Is he?" Vetra turned to Scott with increased interest.

Drack Nakmor came up behind Vetra. " You're the other half of the Infamous Ryder pair. Heh. You don't look like much,"

" Give me time," Sara assured the krogan antagonist to her love interest. Kandros repressed his amusement as he considered the consequences of it. " I can punch more of an impact than most ladies,"

" I hope so. We're swamped in kett," Drack nodded to the rest of the Nexus ramp. " We're leaving before the day ends, Kid,"

Sara nodded. " Absolutely,"

" Pathfinder, I require your sister for clarification on some reports before she leaves," Kandros announced his presence to Scott first. Sara turned quickly toward him and then turned back to Drack, face slightly reddened.

Eventually she grimaced and prepared herself for a day full of haggling over what should and shouldn't go into a report. Kandros's demand to be very precise in his reports to Tann, out of spite or learned behavior she didn't know, often lead to his people taking longer than usual to file their reports. Debriefings by anyone but Kandros were considered a luxury for his teams. " Let's go,"

" I only need an hour," Kandros supplied for Scott before tucking his hands behind his back. Sara moved to his right and walked with him toward the tram. Once they were a respectable distance from the group disembarking onto familiar territory, " About last night-"

Sara turned her head to him quickly. " Never happened,"

He chuckled. " I was hoping that it will,"

She stared straight ahead as the tram pulled into the station and the doors opened. " You're a sweet and handsome man, Kandros, but I'm not the romantic type. I'm not even normal. I want salarians despite knowing they're asexual. I want sex at the same time. I'm what you'd call an immoral-"

" If you're immoral, then everyone who has to colonize this galaxy is immoral. The whole reason we are here is to have babies and raise them to have babies," Kandros brushed his hand against hers as they swayed with the momentum of the moving tram. " You don't want strings. I don't want strings,"

She smiled. " I like your philosophy,"

" It's not a philosophy,"

" Are we really going to review details?" She finally asked.

He shook his head. " My place or yours?"

Oh no he did not. " Obviously my place is packed up at the moment, so yours?" Did he not worry about being known as her lover? Wait - was she that much of a put off? No. But surely he wanted to be seen in a better light than as her lover, especially knowing she had a 'thing' for Tann. What did he expect?

More importantly how would it impact their professional relationship? Oh well, it wasn't like she was going to have him around to amuse her while traveling with Scott and she never claimed to be a monogamous prude.

Tann and Scott squared off over the costs of pursuing the lead they very much needed to give 100,000 people a fighting chance. Their equipment was showing signs of wear and tear after the prolonged exposure to radiation. Vetra's contacts allowed them to obtain pieces that otherwise would be lost or passed along to the next kett victim. Finally they agreed to a credit refund that barely covered a single piece of armor. " I want you to return Sara to me alive," Tann asked of Scott. " Best help I had since the start of this,"

Scott smirked. " Is that so?"

" Yes," Tann didn't blink. " I expect to have weekly reports on the team's progress,"

Oh great. " I'll make sure that Sara files them," He left Tann to his multitude of paperwork and hourly reports. He found Sara at the Vortex freshly showered. " Who'd you-"

Sara smacked his arm. " No one,"

He raised a brow and then ordered a drink. " You do know that I am your twin. I know everything,"

Sara shrugged. " Maybe. Maybe not," She sipped her drink. " Not like I'll end up pregnant anyway. We're all on cryo blockers," Turians and humans are incapable of having interbred children.

Scott leaned in. " Not like I would judge you anyway. I'm surprised you haven't lured Tann into bed yet," Dutch almost fell off the bar top he was leaning on.

" I tried," Sara raised a brow in Dutch's hasty recovery. " One would think that with half the station talking about my interest in him, he'd notice . But no," Sara admitted candidly. The bad poetry taking place behind her mother made her cringe. " He called me beautiful yesterday. Suppose that's progress,"

" In another five years he might even try bed you," Scott mused in mockery. " Whoever caught your eye will be lucky,"

She laughed. More like she caught Kandros's eye. " To sex and venting frustrations," They clinked drinks and sat in comfortable silence.

Peebee bounced up behind Scott. " Oh that looks yummy!" She peered over Scott's shoulder at his blue drink. " I'll take two," She held up two fingers to the bartender.

Two identical drinks landed on the bar top. Peebee sat next to Scott. Sara leaned in and whispered loudly. " Admirer?"

" Maybe," Scott whispered back.

" I can still hear you," Peebee whispered to them both. They in turn stared back with near identical grins. " And yes, an admirer," She bat her eyelashes at Scott.

Sara chuckled. " Well I am off to lug my belongings to the Tempest,"

" You can have my cabin. I don't need all that space," Scott volunteered before finishing his drink and ordering another one. " So move on in. We can share the wardrobe space. I'll take a bunk in the crew quarters,"

She gave Scott a big hug and kiss on the forehead. " You're the best, bro!" She squealed loud enough for two turians and a salarian to notice. Peebee rolled her eyes. " You could have given me that room,"

Scott looked Peebee in the eye. " Give me one good reason why,"

" Because I can make your life interesting," She crooned over someone's equally bad singing.

Dutch put another in front of Scott. " On the house,'

" Thanks," Scott said dryly and quickly glanced Peebee over. No competition to Lexi at all. " You are not my twin, and Sara has always taken caren of me. No offense but you catapulted into our life and literally tackled me to the ground,"

Peebee rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. " It's the whole cabin…." Scott listened to her gripe about his generosity to someone other than her while Sara hauled the small crate of belongings to the Tempest. She hummed on her way there, particularly pleased because she watched a vid of Scott's private space on the Tempest and envied him. She also wanted off the Nexus before she ended up in Kandros's bed more often than not. That man was like a drug, and she needed to swear him off before she needed him more consistently in her life.

Suvi and Kallo greeted her as she entered the ship and headed toward the Pathfinder's cabin. Whether Scott was serious or not she was going to keep the cabin for herself and share the wardrobe space. Suvi walked with her. " Will you be going planetside with your brother now that you're back on the team?" Her cup of tea attracted Sara to its contents, envy kicking in instantly.

The crate on wheels spared Sara the trouble lifting it. She didn't stop walking the span of the ship, finding it cumbersome that all the mechanical stuff was on the back end and the smart stuff in the front. That was how Peebee put it after Peebee stalked her down to her quarters and tried to be 'nice' so they could 'share' the cabin. " I hope so. I want to get close to the remnant tech and figure it out. Learn what the civilizations were like. Meet the people of the past. It's just...so exciting!"

" The Scourge is beautiful too. If we could harness its abilities-"

" And reduce the Scourge presence itself," Sara agreed instantly. " Speaking of the Scourge, is there a way that we could map it?"

" Kallo has already started to, and we have maps from the Nexus as well," Suvi answered her readily and knowingly. " Scott says you're not as whimsical as he is,"

" I wouldn't call Scott whimsical. He's not Kosta reckless but he is nonetheless reckless," Sara entered the cabin and let out a deep sigh. " Now this is what I call proper lodging!" She dropped the crate to its flat surface and spread her arms around. " Now this is where-" She put a hand over her mouth and then slowly dropped it back to her side. The only thing that could make this better was a naked Kandros in that bed. She peered around and spotted SAM's secondary location. " Oh hello, SAM,"

" Welcome, Sara," SAM greeted her warmly. " Would you wish to hear a Joke?"

Sara beamed. " Of course, What's the best one you have today?" Bless SAM for reminding her of her father.


	11. Chapter 11

Sara lounged with a datapad and edited a report she planned to send to Tann. Kandros was the last thing on her mind as she mulled over word choice. Lexi entered and joined her. " Your physical checks out. Your ribs healed from the near death experience on Habitat 7. Nothing new to worry about,"

" Good to know," She peered over the top of her datapad at Lexi. Legs propped up on the wraparound seating, she was the definition of comfortable.

" Scott wanted me to warn you about the risks of any planets we might encounter," Lexi watched sara's finger move along the screen. " I would warn you about engaging in sexual activities but we are adults,"

Sara shrugged like it was nothing while Lexi battled embarassment. " Heard loud and clear, Dr. T'Perro,"

The Tempest pitched forward to a grand and sudden halt. Sara and Lexi almost toppled over the back of the viewing area couch in a mess of arms and legs. The view stopped Sara's heart instantly for a split second as she peered along with Lexi into a scourge womb of darkness filled with ships of alien design similar to the race they encountered on Habitat 7.

Before she was even self conscious of her actions, Sara scrambled for the door on hands and feet, fully standing by the time she reached the door and vertigo wore off. At the last moment she turned around and faced a still disoriented Lexi. " I need you to - I just need you to make sure none of us die today, Doc. I have to find Scott and my armor," She ran out the door and hauled ass up the steps. She almost tripped over her own feet out of view into the armory. She clapped on her armor so fast her mind forgot to calculate the scale of trouble.

She grabbed hold of the locker as the ship shot forward again with a roar. Gil was going to kill someone! His poor baby, the darling Tempest!

Able to catch her breath once more as the adrenaline wore off, Sara carried a trusty shotgun with her. " What just happened?" Sara demanded from the closest, Liam and Cora. She still called Liam by his last name.

Blazing across new space facing a new world that appeared to be mostly volcano by the sensors, Sara lurched under the pat on her back. " Quick thinking, Kid,"

Her eyes looked up at Drack. " Thanks. Dad and my previous work taught me to scramble," She let out a deep breath. " Scott,"

" Not now, Sara," Scott held up his hand to her as he listened to Gil speak in severe anxiety.

" Scott, who the hell was that?" The face she only glimpsed triggered something deep down.

" If I had to guess, Kett hierarchy," Vetra answered her far too calmly.

Sara tried to breathe normally, her chest tightening. " Fuck. Tann is going to-" Sara started off the bridge with her shotgun and armor. She picked up the datapad from the floor and tried to calm her racing mind. How the hell was she going to break this to Tann? Almost captured by kett ! Should she - yes! Best see where they landed first. Make a decision then.

SAM beeped into consciousness again. " Are you well, Sara?"

" Yes...I…." The first tear touched her cheek, a LONG delayed reaction that was due for some time. " I wish dad were here,"

" Your father would advise to calm first and then assess," SAM coached needlessly. " I can play mus-"

" No," She wiped away the first tear. " I'm fine," She lied.

Falling, falling….FALLING! Hard landing. Rocks falling back to the surface.

Scott laying on his back gasping for air. Poisoned air rushing down his throat and choking him to death.

Dr. Carlisle rushing from the shuttle toward them as Dad removed his helmet.

" I said I'm fine!" She yelled at whoever grabbed her shoulder.

She expected Scott or Cora. It wasn't neither. Lexi hugged her as the tears fell and aching memories lurched forward out of nowhere. Sara weakly clung to the good doctor as hot tears tracked down her face. Sara sobbed into Lexi's shoulder as untold amount of mourning finally saw the light of day. Lexi rubbed circles into Sara's back almost like she would a child wanting its mother feeling very much out of place. After what felt like a century to Lexi Sara pulled away and wiped the snot from her nose. Lexi helped her remove the armor and put the shotgun out of reach before ordering Sara to the shower.

Vetra hung back by the shower door. " You want to talk about it?" She offered a towel to Sara as Sara stepped out of the brief relieving spray.

" Dad was on Habitat 7,"

Vetra still looked confused.

" After activating the vault core," Sara clarified as she redressed. " That thing mentioned - that thing treated Scott like Dad. But Dad is-"

Poor Vetra did not know what to say and Sara refused to say 'dead' out loud.

Punching the wall hard, Sara split a knuckle open. She punched it again out of pure anger. Vetra stopped her from splitting another knuckle. " You should talk to Scott," Vetra whispered.

The calm Sara gradually returned. " What's the situ?"

Vetra inspected the bleeding knuckles. " Go find Scott. I think he said we were about to land,"

Sara scrambled once more to dress and then sprinted for the docking bay. Scott turned toward her with half a smile. Everyone gathered around, either to offer condolences or support. " We're making first contact," Scott walked toward her. " If anything happens, Pathfinder authority goes to Cora, then you,"

" You are not dying out there, Scott Ryder. I am not going to be-" Her chest constricted again." - an orphan. I swear to all the gods and goddesses and non-entities that I will dig your dumbass back up and kill you again. Do you hear me?" Drack held Sara back as Scott backed off the ship and onto Aya. When he let go of her, Sara trudged up to the meeting area with her datapad while Peebee and Vetra 's eyes followed her in increased concern while Lexi and Suvi created a soothing cocktail of tea and medicine for her.

The medicine dampened her anger and overwhelming concern for Scott's safety. Lexi kept watch over her from the science center and Gil oversaw what he could repair with the help of Kallo. Suvi walked the ship reviewing old research in hopes it could explain the scourge. Drack acted as companion to Vetra and Peebee slunk back to the escape pod to do who knew what.

In that time, Sara managed to write up a coherent clinically sterile report on the encounter and their current whereabouts. Having the report to focus on spared her the headache she almost encountered earlier. The report sped up the clock and reminded her she needed to eat. Somehow her mind wandered back to Tann and what he must be enduring on the Nexus alone. Yearning to be at his side spared her real frustration of waiting for Scott.

But half hours turned into two full hours and the silence on the ship haunted her mind. Just when she thought all was lost and they were doomed to POW status of another new race, Kallo informed them that the ship was fully repaired. " I do not understand their language but she purrs again. Just listen to her!" Kallo thrilled as Gil bought everything to life again.

Sara turned an ear to it all and genuinely smiled. " Yes, she does. All ships are a she, aren't they?"

" The carriers of a race," Kallo echoed.

" True," She smiled at him, still nervous and praying that somehow she could survive this encounter. " Kallo, I have a question,"

A second passed.

" Why are Salarians asexual? Is it just because the females- um, eggs? Is it because the sexual aspect is not needed?" Sara went on assuming Kallo consented.

The humming stopped and he turned his head to think about her serious question. " We are honored to be chosen to 'father' the eggs, but to be sexual beings, is unnecessary," He looked her in the eye. " Unsuccessful with Director Tann?"

Her cheeks turned red and she pulled at the collar of her short sleeved shirt. " He did call me beautiful,"

" We're not blind," Kallo shot back quietly. " You know how we're sneaky when we need to be and bold when necessary,"

Sara felt herself relax. " So you're saying Tann is interested?"

" In your mind? Likely yes. You are intelligent. You measure your actions. You may not think like us, but you could have been one of us,"

" I take that as a compliment," Sara kept her chin up.

" As you well should," Kallo edged closer. " You can tell when a salarian wants you. When they want to spend their short years with you. They won't necessarily be forward with you but when they are, there will be no doubt,"

Kallo lingered a moment longer.

Sara faced him. " Is there something you wanted to add?"

" Why Tann?"

" He reminds me of people I admire most," Sara answered honestly with a faraway look on her face. " Dad. some of my former superiors, my mother. Career oriented. Serious. Strong. He's an ass, sure, but who wouldn't be if they were thrown into a proverbial hot seat with no escape?"

Kallo dwelled on her last words. " I wish you luck on your mission, Sara Ryder,"

" And I wish you much happiness, Kallo," Sara waved goodbye and watched the docking bay ramp in vain impatience. She picked at her fingernails torn between desiring to rush out and find Scott and vid call Tann. Between the two men she wanted to rip out her hair.

" How is Suvi?" Kallo asked when he tracked her down to the kitchen.

Suvi sighed. " Better than Sara. When the silent ones crack, they explode,"

" Earlier?"

Suvi nodded. " Mourning,"

" She's smiling now,"

" How long?"

" Hmm, Suvi, are all humans sexual beings?" Kallo queried as he readied a snack.

She faced him. " Why do you ask?"

" Sara asked if all salarians were asexual. If the races are that incompatible, I wonder what attracted her to them. You aren't attracted to us, are you?"

Stirring her tea, Suvi shook her head. " I prefer the ladies,"

" Oh,"

" You didn't know?"

Kallo shook his head. " I never noticed a preference," How did he not notice a preference when he sat across from her every day? Foolish foolish salarian.

" Is there no lady salarian for you?"

" We aren't discussing-"

" Yes, we are," Suvi followed him to the docking bay and up the ramp that lead through engineering and to the research area. " Surely an equal-"

Kallo tuned her out and determinedly marched on forward to the bridge.


	12. Chapter 12

Waiting was the worst part. Sara bounced off the walls, keeping an eye on Aya's docking port while the Angara helped repair the ship since they were not permitted to leave the ship. Finally Scott approached the ramp and Sara stood in the center, arms clasped behind her back with an annoyed expression on her face.

" You're late," She scolded Scott without concern of what the new race might think. She gave the Angara who stood next to him a one look over before staring Scott down like a concerned mother.

Her brother threw up his arms. " Jaal, this is my sister, Sara,"

Jaal's brow lifted. Sara's annoyed expression softened only slightly. " Hello, Jaal. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I trust my brother has been most appreciative of his time on your wonderful home?"

Scott opened and closed his mouth in resignation.

" He is still alive," Jaal replied shortly. Scott smirked. Sara frowned. " And speaks with much passion and enthusiasm for the Initiative,"

Sara nodded. " Well, I am going to warn Kallo-"

" I'd much prefer Kallo as a brother-in-law than Tann!" Scott called after his sister, his smirk growing.

Jaal refused to remark upon this as they finally boarded the Tempest. The smooth design of the ship and its foreign occupants held his interest for the most part. Arriving in the cargo bay, Scott started the tour there. He showed Jaal the two storage rooms, engineering, the research room, tech lab, bio lab, galley, crew quarters, meeting room, med bay, and armory before arriving at the bridge where Sara lounged with Kallo and Suvi laughing about something. She stiffened when Scott's loud voice broke into the conversation.

" Don't let Sara fool you, Suvi. She's more interested in the science than she is the discovery of the Remnant,"

" I am not. I am lured by the Science because it is different than ours, but I am more curious about the Remnant's origins. Origins define us, Scott,"

" You always say that,"

" Because I'm right,"

Jaal listened to the siblings banter in semi interest while Suvi and Kallo studied him with intense interest. Finally Jaal followed Scott to the meeting room with everyone else, the diversity of the crew becoming clear to him as everyone emerged seemingly from the walls themselves. Everyone gathered around the table while Jaal seated himself. Sara stood next to Vetra, across from Drack.

" I'm just saying as far as first contact goes, at least that went better than the last," Cora started off optimistically, almost defensively.

Sara crossed her arms.

" Only slightly," Liam derided.

A fussy Peebee acted her age. " Yeah. What happened? I wanted to look around,"

Drack slightly turned to Jaal, along with the mass of attention shifting toward the new alien. " And now we have another mouth to feed. Whatever he eats…"

Jaal returned everyone's stares, including Sara's.

" Do the translators not work?" Vetra asked on behalf of everyone.

" They work," Jaal replied as Sara quirked a brow in foreknowledge of knowing they already worked.

Scott shook his head. " Come on, everyone. Can we all just please try to...just listen up," Sara bowed her head in shame. He could not command a crowd even if they were bowing at his feet, not that everyone here was. Cora still resented their father chose Scott as the Pathfinder, and Drack was happy to sign on for the campaign against the Kett, but not necessarily loyal to anyone aboard. Peebee only stuck around for the Remnant technology she had access to, Vetra, Gil, Suvi, and Kallo loved the ship too much to let it go.

" Begging. Interesting Strategy," Drack's mockery strapped onto Sara's sense of shame.

" Ryder, we followed our best lead here, and now we don't even have that,"

" Jaal has offered to do what he can to help us access the vault on Aya," Scott replied to Cora quickly.

" How do we do that when we're leaving the planet it's on?" Vetra demanded in disbelief.

" That's...a fair point. Jaal?" Scott turned to the newest recruit.

" Seriously?" Cora dangled on the cliff of mutiny at Scott's impotent leadership. Sara planned to join her if Scott continued to act stupid.

Liam punched the table. " Settle down! Ryder's right. There's an Angara right here. Let's hear from the new guy,"

Jaal's story horrified the present team. With everyone peeling off in their separate directions, Sara stayed behind with Scott.. Jaal followed Vetra to the crew quarters leaving the siblings to talk about the visit on Aya. A once over of the cramped quarters and interaction with Dr. T'Perro left Jaal to the only option - the tech lab. He dropped his belongings in the lab and started to sort everything out while everyone else returned to their separate activities.

Two hours later the inevitable happened.

" So Jaal,"

" So,"

Peebee leaned on the railing with Vetra above the central room and listened in on Scott's awkward diplomacy. Despite Cora's shock she believed that Sara would have made the better Pathfinder. Scott's impulsivity and emotional energy, and excessive energy made him too scatterbrained. Sara's calmness and collective thoughts better suited the role of Pathfinder. Sara settled herself near the console, arms crossed and listened in on the pitiful attempt with a hint of a smile.

" We haven't had the chance to talk alone. You comfortable in here?"

" I hope not," Peebee whispered to Vetra. " He is-"

Vetra gave her a stern look.

" I took it. It feels strange to stay with the others. They're - you're aliens,"

" And you're alien to us," Scott replied quickly. " So there. We have something in common,"

Even though no one was standing next to Scott everyone imagined his odd expressions to some degree of accuracy. Saracleared her throat and muttered something under her breath.

Jaal's measured response surprised no one.

" We can look at it as a place to start," Once again Sara shook her head and covered her eyes. Scott's quick " Got it," made her mutter something more expletive she would have never muttered in front of them except in the course of being shot at. " Perhaps then if we're all aliens, it is about what kind of alien we are,"

Vetra relaxed. Peebee leaned forward, resting her head chin on her crossed arms.

Jaal's measured response surprised no one. Sara counted on Jaal being closed off to everyone because it kept all of them from accidentally giving the Initiative a more negative reputation than already earned.

" Could be worse," Peebee remarked cheerfully.

Sara raised a fist to both of them.

" You're not Cora!" Peebee called down.

" No, but Cora will, if you don't listen," Vetra teased.

"...but you signed up to help us anyway," Scott's voice filled in the silence.

" Perhaps it had nothing to do with you,"

Jaal's tight answer should have warned Scott to stop here but no. It didn't. At least Scott managed to display some kind of restraint. " Care to elaborate?"

Sara pushed off the console, a slightly annoyed expression twisting her face into a a mildly unthreatening expression to anyone that didn't know her. To those that did know her...it meant Scott was about to get an earful out of earshot of everyone else.

" Uh oh…" Vetra sing songed. " Big sis to the rescue," Peebee made to move closer to the action while Vetra maintained her advantageous oversight.

" How do you know Moshae Sjefa?" Scott asked, desperate to keep an open channel. Sara stopped at the door entrance, leaning on the outside of it, her arm visible to Jaal. Jaal kept an eye on Sara's nearness while combatting Scott's invasive curiosity.

Jaal's attempt to keep the conversation short failed. Short answers and even more awkwwardness followed. Jaal relaxed a bit when speaking of beloved Moshae Sjefa and his love of tinkering. Sara intervened before Scott could force another chain of questions and answers.

" I am sorry for my brother's rudeness. He lacks an understanding of politics that is necessary here," Sara tugged on Scott's arm.

Scott yanked her hand off. " I do not need you babysitting me just like Dad,"

" I wouldn't need to babysit you if you didn't act…" Sara took a deep breath and pushed her palms downward. " My apologies, Mr. Ama Darav. You are settling in and we shouldn't have invaded your privacy,"

Jaal was at a loss of words at this distinct difference between brother and sister. Were they actual twins?

Scott tried to argue but he caught Peebee sashaying by on her way to the other side of the ship. His feet lead him out of the tech lab and toward the bridge.

" Siblings," Jaal acknowledged gratefully.

The annoyed expression softened only slightly. " Yes,siblings," Sara agreed sourly before apologizing once more and exiting the tech lab in search of another activity. If she concentrated on Scott and Peebee becoming a couple, it would just infuriate her even more than her brother becoming Pathfinder.


	13. Chapter 13

Jaal slowly warmed up to the people on the Tempest. The bonds the crew shared showed in small ways that Evfra would never appreciate. Kallo made Suvi tea when she was too absorbed in data and couldn't walk away from the sensors. In return Suvi made Kallo his dinner when he was unable to leave the pilot seat. Drack always ensured that everyone ate, even if they ate sandwiches because they snuck a sample of his delightful surprise meals. Vetra looked after everyone's equipment and put aside grudges to keep everyone alive. Cora, even with her unusual disposition against Scott being Pathfinder, chose to give Scott a proper support. Lexi looked after everyone like an awkward babysitter. That's not to mention the bickering the between the twins that somehow turned into an argument - whatever - another argument followed by muttered comments in and out of each other's presence.

That didn't distract Jaal from his real purpose - scoping out the Initiative's threat to the Angara and their intent in and outside of the organization. He already thoroughly explored the ship and mentally tallied up how often the engineer bested everyone at Poker. The support crew are the life blood of the Tempest and yet Jaal doubted any of them would operate the ship if the Resistance commondered it. So Jall needed the Pathfinder even though Evfra wanted to lock the male Ryder away for future use and blackmail.

Personally Jaal believed the sincerity of the team. He did not trust the statements from the Initiative. Unfortunately Jaal needed to follow orders like any loyal soldier. Dare he upset his many mothers he'd never hear the end of it. Ever.

" Hello, Jaal," Sara smiled at him in passing.

The dark circles lingered under her eyes. She carried herself with a stubborn determination that echoed in everyone else. Sara boasted of gaining numerous scars through her adventures and training, yet the only scar he identified was on her palm. Scott explained she nearly lost her fingers after trying to stop an asari blade with her bare hand. A biotic user spared the amputation and left Sara in the hospital for three days. She spent two months recovering and helping their mother while healing up.

" Are we soon to approach Havarl?" He asked.

She twisted her lip in an adorable expression. " I think so? Suvi and Kallo were surveying planets along the way and Scott did say that once we reach Havarl I'll be given loose rein to help around with the other half of the crew," She looked forward to exploring again.

" You adore science," Jaal wished he could pick her mind apart to learn what she brought with her from the 'Milky Way'.

Sara crossed her arms. " Science is understandable,"

" I did not wish to offend you on this fragile time of the mon-"

" Oh for fuck sake," Sara threw an arm in the air. " It's a period, Jaal. Human females have them because of our bodies-"

Jaal took a step back.

Drack stopped mid walk way and turned back around. He grabbed Liam's arm and steered the unsuspecting male from harm's way leaving Jaal to the mercy of Sara's wrath.

" - produce eggs that are biologically supposed to be impregnated by male sperm. When that doesn't happen, the body sheds the liner they are embedded in and once a month for anywhere from 2 to 7 days a woman is on her period. No, it doesn't extend to other races. And no it doesn't mean we're more unreliable than males. Our testosterone levels actually rises during this time, making us more male in behavior than any other time of the month,"

Jaal's expression flatlined. " I'm walking that way now," He moved past her quickly toward the men who gave her ample clearance.

Sara mumbled something under her breath as she slid down the ladder and entered the cabin she called home. She dropped down onto the bed and returned to the email she specifically wanted Tann to take extra notice in.

 **Recently spoke with Kallo about the Salarian Ark; I'm certain we'll find leads on it. ( Delete)**

 **Wish I could be there. (Delete)**

 **Kallo and I were speaking about the Salarian Ark and it's MIA status. I wish I could help find your people. Scott and I are trying our best to make Andromeda home to everyone. We will not make promises that we may not be able to keep. I will make this promise to you though - one way or another we will find the ark. It's the least that salarians deserve.**

Sara rubbed her eyes and let out a growl. Men would never understand what it is like to be a woman. Even with the pain killers the cramps still ebbed at her tolerance of the world around her. Maybe Tann will understand.

 **I miss you. ( Delete)  
I miss you and was wondering ( Delete)**

Ugh. All she had to was just ask him out. The worst he could say was no. She is an adult. No won't kill her. Why - of all people - did she have to be drawn to Salarians? This must be how gay people felt in the older times. No. This is how society viewed gay people in the older days - like confused idiots who could be reformed with a little brainwashing. All of this would be so much easier if she wanted human men. Liam is a perfectly fit speciment and conveniently close.

 **Maybe we can talk over drinks at your place? I want to make sure that we are on the same page, politically and socially before I try to influence our Angaran ambassador. Hopefully we won't offend delicate sensitivities on Havarl. I expect Jaal will advise us all on how to act.**

Sara pressed send before she deleted everything out of fear of rejection. She prayed Tann took action sooner than later or else she might have to convert to turians as a love interest.

" Sara?" Scott knocked on the door.

She glared at the comm before putting down the datapad. " Come in," The door slid open and Scott inched in. " What?"

He clutched his hands behind his back. " Jaal is afraid to upset you,"

" Couldn't tell,"

" Something about a biological lecture-"

" He-" Sara shut up instantly and focused on the good memories of Kandros. " I will apologize later,"

Scott nodded. " Also we're two hours from Voeld,"

" I thought you said Havarl,"

" I meant Havarl," He snapped his fingers in irritation.

Sara sat upright. " You okay, bro? Lexi time muddling the focus?" Scott cleared his throat forcefully. " Not mentioning Lexi time. Okay. I'll apologize tomorrow. I promise,"

" Thank you," Scott bowed to her. " Your Majesty,"

" Peasant," She almost smiled.

Tann paced his quarters.

He learned through the video surveillance that Sara and Kandros initiated a sexual relationship. On top of that Kesh warned him that Sara never followed expectations. Kandros didn't know he used his status as director to access the vids. His hands hurt from how hard he clutched them.

Sara treated him like a man. A proud respected man capable of protecting the world. He wanted that kind of pampering. Sara didn't ask for romance. She listened to him go on about politics without complaint. She shared her past with him. They fought for the good of the Initiative. By all comparisons, he wanted to spend his remaining years in her company. His pride evoked a jealous twinge he refused to face honestly.

Half hour reports sounded appropriate right now. For Addison/Spender and Kandros.

No. He is Salarian. He is not petty. He is Salarian. He will make his attachment more serious. Set a precedent, yes.

" Director, Addison's reports on the yields of Eos. Kandros's APEX reports. The armory's report on ammunition, weaponry, and armor," His new secretary presented the datapad. Tann transferred the data and handed it back to her. He cocked his head and watched her leave. How soon before he needed to fertilize eggs to continue the salarian race? Could he ask Sara to accept and excuse it?

Something in the APEX report caused him to pause. Kett base on Eos. No known data other than superior protection.

Another mission for the Pathfinder. The Ryders deserved a pat on the back and a long vacation. Too bad that he could ill afford the Tempest a slowed schedule.

APEX delivered another staggering blow. In their effort for retrieval of previous site equipment, pirates looted a much needed supply shipment. Tann regret banishing people off the Nexus, and he hated the Scourge even more.

On the other hand he'd have never met Sara.

Perhaps the scourge should be thanked?

Why did he care? Oh - that's right. Because she treated him well and understood him. A rare gem.

His email caught him by surprise. Sara's low key request for private time faded as he zoned in mention of a new race and a selected ambassador. It is bound to happen they would encounter another race. Multiple questions splashed across the datapad in rapid response sure to cause more questions and a string of replies he'd savor more than he'd admit to. " Are you busy?" Addison startled him.

He lifted his head slowly. " Yes,"

" We need to discuss my replacement,"

" Why?"

" I only agreed to this position because I was promised a committee would take over once we were arrived and settled," Addison crossed her arms. " I believe that Liam Kosta is an appropriate replacement,"

Tann frowned. " He is a member of the Pathfinder's team," Scott Ryder needed all the capable help he could find and keep. Losing Alec Ryder delivered a gut wrenching blow to the plan that already suffered a series of gut wrenching blows.

" He is willing to take over the post," Addison pressed firmly.

A list of people qualified to take over her post conjured up in his sharp mind. Spender never made the list. " So are a number of other, more qualified people," Kosta lacked the discipline and knowledge required for the posting. Training people is one luxury they were not currently afforded.

" Director Tann,"

He put down his datapad. " Are you tendering resignation?"

Addison uncrossed her arms. " Only if Kosta assumes the role,"

" I'll make the appropriate preparations as you make the appropriate preparations. When I am convinced that Kosta can be replaced on the team and installed in your position with little disruption, you may surrender the position," Tann permitted, inwardly rejoicing at ousting the bothersome Addison from his list of worries.

Addison stalked off in new determination and the first person she celebrated with was Spender. Spender fumed that he would no longer be as able to hide his illicit activities. Time was still on their side because the Pathfinder team needed to continue exploration for the benefit and survival of the Initiative.


	14. Chapter 14

Havarl sprawled out like a wild Jurassic Park giving everyone something to marvel at and cringe from. Suvi camped out on the ramp and set up monitoring equipment to capture every it of data she could humanly gather. Kallo fret about the fauna overtaking his beautiful darling while Gil refitted components within to work for the new demands. The team split up into alpha and bravo teams - Jaal and Drack went with Scott while Liam and Peebee followed Sara on a sample collection quest. Vetra and Cora stayed behind to protect the ship because the 'fancy' windows would be blown out if guns were installed.

Sara's quest for a stable sample lead to a dead end and by dead end Liam saved Peebee from a toxic burn and Sara almost broke her neck tripping over a root that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes. " Stupid, rotten, ungrateful planet," Sara muttered in pure contempt as Peebee hurried after her.

" Oh yes, you can believe it? The life here is just unrestrained. I wonder at how anyone survives here, even if it is breathtaking," She gazed up at the 'flying whales' in awe. Sara joined her after dusting the dirt off her armor and helmet. She still looked like part of the environment from the slips and tumbles compliment of the forest.

Liam stood behind them a hand on each shoulder. " I could live here,"

Peebee's obsession with remnant tech kept her attention on the very obvious remnant structures en masse around them towering into the sky.

" Unlikely given their distrust of aliens," Sara sighe. " More so, the fauna is trying to kill us,"

" Tuchanka," Liam mused.

Sara elbowed him. " Man eating plants aside, I prefer Eos. We can hold off radiation," She almost tripped again this time over a remnant device of strange origin. Peebee lowered to one knee to scan it. Liam tracked the passing adhi with his loaded rifle. Both ladies dislodged the device with combined biotic and physical exertion. They finished each other's sentences and argued about who should study the artifact first.

Liam left them to their discovery and protected their backs.

" I forgot how - which direction did we take from the ship?" Peebee gave up after they circled back twice. Sara accessed the map on her omni-tool, frown lines deepening. " How much time has passed?"

They took up a position on high ground. Sara casually unloaded two rounds into a wild adhi before scanning the physical surroundings again. " I hope Scott is making out better than we are,"

" He has Jaal," Peebee moped. " Jaal is so…"

Both Sara and Liam raised a brow. " This way ," She pointed them to the north. When all else failed, pick a bloody direction!

That approached lead them to a monument containing animation suspended angara. Sara checked her shotgun after they cleared out local remnant. Peebee cautiously walked around the individuals and Liam checked out the corners, pits, and ceiling. Sara radioed her brother. " Scott, we found the scientists, and not on purpose,"

" Stay there. We're on the way," Scott answered a moment later.

Sara cleared her throat. " Team, the other half are enroute,"

" Okay," Peebee carefully acknowledged as she collected the video and scans. " i wonder why we didn't encounter this on Eos,"

" I was on the Nexus at the time," Sara grumbled. She dared to wave her hand in front of the angara one by one. " But I will accept your word as substitute,"

Liam finally perched on an irregularly shaped ledge. He turned his head as the voices of Scott and Drack filtered toward them.

"...a bloody waste,"

" Is that the armor or the weaponry?"

" Both. To be wasted on xenophobic aliens,"

Jaal jumped down next to Liam. " Hmph," Sara waved in his direction before stepping back and accessing her omni-tool. " Sara, what is the conclusion?"

She paused in her work. " Well, SAM informs me they upset a trigger. We can undo it, but I am weary about it. I would like to know how big this field potentially will grow,"

" And rapidly," Jaal added. " You're covered in dirt," He motioned her body head to toe.

She glanced herself over. Dirt rubbed into blue and white armor creating a blurred image of the markings," Adventuring is a messy profession," She winked.

He absorbed the flirt in due respect. " What a wonderful profession to host a lovely lady,"

" Oh you do me great honor, Jaal, but the Roekaar will string you up," She shook a gloved finger at him. " Besides, I'm rife with other troubles. I hope Scott hasn't jumped in head first,"

In almost instantaneous reaction, Scott flipped her off. She readied her shotgun. " Please tell me you have a map back to the ship," She begged of Jaal in a whisper.

His rich laughter played on her ears.

" Damn it, Jaal," She grabbed hold of his rofjinn. " I'm serious,"

He laughed harder. Sara huffed at the refusal. Drack put her short arm around her. " I have you covered, kid,"

Sara sighed. " Thanks, Drack,"

" Drinks are on you if we end up on Kadara,"

Sufficiently warned, Sara kept her weariness to herself. " Scott, SAM finish his scanning yet? She leaned against Drack despite the offensive smells radiating off him.

SAM replied directly to her. " I am almost finished, Sara. Do you require assistance?"

Her brow lifted. " No, SAM, thank you,"

" Are you certain, Sis?" Scott teased as he approached the console to unfreeze the scientists. " Because lately you've been talking more to SAM than anyone else,"

" I hope SAM remembers the meaning of confidentiality," Sara pulled her helmet back on. " Well, Drack, I'll take those maps and be on my way,"

Drack kept his arm around her, using his weight to keep her next to him. " You missed the last vault. You want to miss this too?" Even though she glared at Drack, her will kept her at the ancient krogan's side. " I knew you were a real scientist,"

She rolled her eyes. " I miss Tann already,"

" Hey! Tann is my bureaucrat. I am supposed to make him miserable, not you,"

Scott lifted his hand. " Possessive much?"

" No, but Tann is mine. One day that is not today," She glared up at Drack. " Not a word. I already knows he hates krogan. Nobody's perfect,"

Everyone let the subject go. Jaal tried to understand Sara's attraction whilst knowing the faults of the man. Unfortunately for his curiosity Scott released the scientists from the time bubble and Sara witnessed pure confusion from an alien race. It fascinated her enough she put aside the fear of being lost in a wilderness alien to her and volunteer to do what was necessary. In the name of science, naturally.

Liam and Peebee recorded everything on the trek back to station.

" I can't believe this used to be a city at one point," Peebee said in awe.

Sara wondered if they left Peebee on Havarl how long it would take for her grow bored of the place.

Jaal shook his head. " How old are you?"

" Hey, I've seen some shit," Peebee snapped back at him.

Liam chuckled. " She acts like she's 12 but she's probably 400,"

" How long do Angara live?" Sara asked as she hopped over a massive root.

Jaal caught her and guided her away from the toxic plant. " Long enough for the kett to kidnap us and enslave us and leave behind families to mourn us," Sara shook her head. " You did not specify how I should answer,"

The party ahead bantered about something else entirely as the four determined it was better to just comment on the environment.

 **I have excellent news for you, and I trust that you will pass it along to your brother. Director of Colonial Affairs is tendering her resignation and desires Liam Kosta to replace her. I informed her proper preparations must be taken. That includes the Pathfinder find a replacement. There is no current reliable protocol to properly replace Pathfinder team members. These circumstances prevent the proper testing and environments to create the same standard that originated in the home galaxy.**

 **You are welcome to share drinks with me when you return to the Nexus. I am always in need of your insights and wish to consult you on a personal matter. I ask your forgiveness beforehand.**

 **Tann**

Tann's finger hovered before sending the message against his better senses. He checked to ensure that he was alone in the new expanded office before referencing a video on romancing humans. He settled back for an hour of dry teaching that held his attention.

" Sir,"

He blinked and almost dropped the datapad. " Hello, Nulsi,"

The female's face flushed. " Sir, Addison has filed the paperwork for her resignation, and she already filled out most of Liam Kosta's as well,"

Odd. Why is Yasoln Nulsi acting shy?

" Very well," He tried to hide the datapad.

She remained in front of him a moment longer before returning to the entrance of the pathfinder office.

Keeping the datapad out of sight his next quest presented itself. Where did he find flowers to present to Sara?


	15. Chapter 15

Back on the Tempest, which Sara refused to step off of until the following day due to the bad experience of getting lost prior in the day, hovered over the new alien remnant device with Peebee. Suvi adored the fauna while Kallo grumbled about the entire planet being a plague as long as the fauna acted sentient.

" Kallo, while you bicker with Gil about the ship's changes, maybe you can help me appreciate just how much this ship suffered," Sara and Peebee took up a good part of the escape pod entrance leaving little room for much else, especially with Peebee's remnant clutter. The raw, unfinished gem of a find continued to give off heightened readings of activity.

The look of irritation turned Kallo from cute boy next door to shriveled grumpy pilot. " Don't tempt me into shooting-"

Peebee winked at Sara and Sara winked back. Kallo freely vented about the kett and Gil, referencing both with equal distaste. Suvi moved past them whistling, new data to compile for the Nexus. The scientists appreciated the recent influx in activity and decided that they weren't content sitting around any longer and waiting for data to come to them via APEX, outlaws, and Pathfinder team. Suvi contributed to their growing collection without concern about how they'd use the data, trusting the morality in light of the dangers they all faced.

" SAM, can you please relay to my brother that if he and Jaal keep teasing me about getting lost, I am going to scramble their maps and have them stay lost," Sara cut Kallo off with an apologetic smile. " Please and thank you,"

" Cruel," Peebee shook a finger.

" I do not like being lost," Sara replied seriously. " The first time I wandered too far from a dig site, mercs tried to sell me off as a slave to a batarian. Almost forced me to use Red Sand,"

Kallo stared at Sara in shock. Sara controlled her voice. Even after all these years that still pissed her off.

" That was the day I learned to use a shotgun. Never regret killing them either. Never told my father, but he's a smart man. Was a smart man," She quieted and focused on the odd boxy artifact.

Peebee's crestfallen expression expressed everyone's concern.

Sara breathed deeply. She steadied her thoughts. " Dad never says a word, but Mom says enough for everyone. And Scott - Scott likes to think he's slick and hides his little favors, but even then he's never fool proof," She pulled her hands away from the remnant blocks. " Mark my words we will destroy the kett and help the angara be free again,"

No one disbelieved Sara. In fact Kallo bet Suvi 30 credits that Sara wouldn't quit til she drew her last breath and Suvi bet Kallo that Scott would take the bullet first because brothers never let harm come to their sisters. Peebee envied the support Sara and Scott leant each other even though she willingly left that in the past - 600 years in the past. Oddly enough Peebee only regret not saying goodbye before leaving home.

Tann's reply left Sara wanting more. Digging into the past stirred up a darkness that connected to the scourge's emotional oppression. She hid away in the cabin. Her mind scrambled for a way to connect with a subject that would still be professional.

Finally she gave up.

Her fingers tapped away using the barest of threads.

 **Havarl is wild and terrifying and amazing. I almost wish I could explore it alone but the wildlife alone would kill me. The fauna is sentient. Wilder than floating rocks. Scott encountered the Roekaar. Think of Cerberus and now substitute Angara for humans. I haven't laid eyes on them but the angara we met so far are skeptical of us. Rightly so, I say.**

 **Tann…(Delete)**

 **We found wild tech that emerged from the ground. It's...incredible. The advanced technology isn't as Prothean but it's different. Uses a different mathematical system and probably a different logic or understanding of physics. I'm amazed that the Angara haven't figured out the technology like SAM has. One would think they can reverse engineer it.**

 **Peebee and I are studying it now. We hope SAM can shed more light on the artifact than we are currently finding. I dare say that mother would find this adventure too risky for her sanity. I know I'm chomping at the reins to really expose its usefulness.**

 **Can I be honest? ( Delete )**

 **I wish you could see this place. It's as bad as the Nexus. You're working hard and doing the best you can. Don't give up. Don't despair. It's a worthy battle and there's a light to follow regardless the struggle. But I am preaching again and I know you dislike the preaching optimism.**

 **Unfortunately the pretty lie starts to tear away as the truth becomes a burden. Havarl needs its vault activated. The imbalance in the soil and wildlife is ovewhelming - even for the angara researchers who have long noted the decay. We only know of two monoliths. And we need three to activate the entrance to the vault. Scott's on top of that now and has promised to keep me informed.**

 **How many more worlds are out there that need the same attention? We already know of one - Kadara and Jaal states along with Aya, there are planets Havarl and Voeld. Whoever created his technology is intelligent. They must still be out there alive. I refuse to believe they are extinct.**

 **I apologize for the rambling. I pass along the best wishes and much luck.**

Sara pressed send and finally breathed easy.

Lexi forced Scott to lie on his back and let the scans run their cycle. " Your sister and I talked earlier. She's been worried about you. Seems remembering her father - your father 0 set off her protective instincts," She had her back to him as she readied to take a blood sample.

The guilt hit Scott hard.

" She talked about her time unearthing Prothean history too," Lexi hovered over him waiting patiently. " Scars on scars,"

" Sara's had a rough time," Scott conceded. He and Sara suffered a lot in their careers, and after their father's scandal, it was amazing that they even had an option out of the mess.

Lexi moved the tray with the needle over to his side. " Rough isn't what I'd call it. More like she didn't trust anyone at points in her life,"

" What did-"

" Confidential. Especially at times like these. You should take it easy. Leave Peebee with the researchers and have Cora help Sara track down samples for Suvi,"

Scott chuckled. " Giving the orders now, Doc?"

" Until my crew is healthy and whole, I am giving clear orders. Be careful. Just an hour ago, I had to remind almost everyone that we have a finite supply of limbs,"

Scott laughed at her. She rewarded his petulance with a light slap when he sat upright a moment later. " Congratulations, you're healthy," Lexi grumbled before sitting on his lap and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He wrapped his arm around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder. She smelled like one of the flowers on Eos. Likely someone started to make a perfume that hadn't made it to a 'mass market' yet.

Holding each other, Scott and Lexi sat moments on end before Scott removed his arm and asked Lexi to eat with him. Before he could escape, she injected the booster to a whiny manchild. They removed themselves to the kitchen and cooked together in comfortable silence. Cora joined them, talk turning to the innumerous threats that Havarl swallowed them into. Scott tried to warn Cora to steer away but Lexi dug more out of Cora than he predicted.

Drack spared Scott the Lexi scolding for daring to double and sprint jump hundreds of feet in the air. Escaping to the crew bunks, Scott tried to catch some shut eye while Jaal, Sara, and Peebee plotted the best possible outcomes in their 'war' against the kett and hostile planets. Drack and Cora hovered over their shoulders pointing out the obvious facts they missed while Kallo calculated the travel times for them. A clueless Scott slumbered on as his team laid out a coherent plan that had them departing Havarl after they fixed the vault.

Despite her fear of being lost, Sara insisted she accompany Scott to the vaul on Havarl. Drack willingly let her go in place of him if asked because death by killer dust cloud never sounded heroic or badass. Cora insisted that Scott had the final word. Not willing to argue about it and with several pieces of new tech, Peebee gladly departed to the escape pod too conquer an 'enemy' of curiosity. Jaal, Liam and Vetra warned Sara that she didn't know what she asked for.

" I already saw the vids," She countered unhappily. " Besides, I trust Scott,"

" Sara we're not saying you can't defend-"

" Liam, I am just starting to like you as a friend. Don't dig the hole," Sara put her hand up, blocking him visually. " I want to be part of history. I want to have my brother's back,"

Jaal put his arm around her. " We understand, but you need to take this step by step. You have yet to actually engage kett in combat,"

" What does kett have to do with a vault?" Sara's brow lifted. Liam walked away, not arguing with a wall.

Vetra crossed her arms. " We can't have two potential human pathfinders with Scott. If he takes Cora or Liam with him," Vetra leaned against the railing casually.

" And you are third in line," Vetra stressed.

" I need experience," Sara whined. " I can't be kept in a tiny box and then have a title thrust at me,"

" We know," Jaal assured her. " Just trust us to take care of the vault so that you can become an expert on the Remnant,"

Jaal's gentle persuasion and Vetra's practical survivalist mode of operation kept Sara from pushing the subject that evening. It failed to banish the flaming desire to actually set foot in a vault and explore it to her heart's content. Cora warned Scott the following day that Sara wanted to do more exploring. Scott assigned Drack and Peebee to help her with any exploring, trusting the muscle and expertise with any exploring, trusting the muscle and expertise would keep his sister safe. He even authorised them to use Peebee's shuttle.

Sara's first act was to gather data readings and samples of plant life further out. She became Suvi's extended arm and will. In the week it took for Scott to deal with the Roekaar and find the third monolith, Sara already encountered the wildlife in all of its varieties and decided that botany isn't boring after all. She bet that the plants carried their own evolutionary chain that is just as interesting as any ruin.

" You are a miracle worker," Suvi kissed her cheek and carried the box of samplings with her to the bio lab.

Sara swelled with happiness.

Some days were hard. Some days were easy. All Sara knew is that she appreciated the time given to her. Sure she had Scott, but the crew is turning into family as well. All families had their dysfunctions. Now if she could pull Tann into the fold.


	16. Chapter 16

Two months in Andromeda, they set off for Voeld. It felt longer to Scott, and every moment he spent with Lexi reminded him that absent of everything else he always had her. The talk with Evfra de Tershaav lead to an invitation to Aya that Sara refused to be excluded from. First they needed to go to Voeld to help the Angara Resistance.

Jaal's genius satisfied Sara's curiosity and allowed Scott one more lifetime of intel. To keep Sara out of the vault's Scott agreed to take Sara to Aya, where she'd 'assist' Evfra in his efforts and learn more about the Resistance in the process. Going alone ensured that Evfra's willing blackmail remained at the mercy of the Angara. Only Sara and Jaal appeared enthusiastic about the plan. Kallo threatened to warn Tann, to which Sara shared she already passed it along and gained Tann's approval.

" I demand videos," Peebee insisted as Sara packed her belongings again.

Sara let out a sigh as she rolled up her uniforms into neat little rolls. " Of course," She worked quickly as they only had an hour before arrival.

Helping move Sara's weapon to the pile of armor, Peebee hovered. By the time they were to disembark, Sara spoke with everyone except Kallo. She stood next to Kallo when the settlement came into view. " You keep Scott flying, I'll make sure the Resistance doesn't put a bullet into his back," She clapped Kallo on the shoulder.

" I have no doubt of your abilities," Kallo answered her. " I only want you to take more than your armor and weapons,"

" I love you too, Kallo," She turned and left Kallo in his seat, moving to the cargo bay with her small crate that carried her past with her. She felt weight lift, shift, and change as she walked toward the welcome party.

Jaal and Scott followed her.

Sara held her hand out to the lead angara. " I'm Sara Ryder. It's a pleasure to meet you and be welcomed into this alliance of goals and minds,"

Evfra glared down at her. She continued to smile up at him unphased. " Sara Ryder?"

" Scott's my twin," Sara explained. " I was born first,"

" She always-" Scott grumbled to Jaal.

Sara held up a hand to both of them. " As I was saying, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Jaal has spoken highly of your prowess and achievements."

" As well he should," Evfra grabbed her hand. She gripped tightly in return not blinking. Scott and Jaal waited for the battle of wills to end. " You'll have help. This is Viraan,"

A female resistance member stepped forward and sized up Sara. Sara glanced her over quickly. Evfra let go of her hand finally. Scott and Jaal started back to the ship. Sara waved over her shoulder knowing Scott would look back one last time.

Viraan cocked her head. " You know how to shoot?"

" Yes. Would you like proof of skill or will we wait until after the tour?" Sara asked, glancing toward Evfra.

Evfra scowled, not damaging his handsomeness in the least. " I have a mission for you,"

Her head cocked. " Go on,"

Viraan fell in step to her right. " We have a team on Voeld,"

" Scott's going to Voeld not," Sara's brow knitted together in confusion. " I fail to understand how this logistically makes sense,"

Evfra lead and people responded to him, viscerally and respectfully. Sara doubted that loyalty is easily earned and maintained. " If we wanted more of our people owing a debt to your organization we would. You're going to learn what it means to be Angaran," He stopped to face her. " Our weapons will replace hers,"

Her brows remained knitted. " I assume you'll give me real bullets too,"

" We don't kill our people," Viraan snorted.

Sara frowned. " Fine. Exchange of weapons. When do we leave for Voeld?" This isn't on her list of to-dos for Aya. It certainly failed to make her comfortable being surrounded by aliens no matter how much she prefers them. Aliens that had every right to reject them from Andromeda, which utterly terrified her. She had nothing to go back to.

" In the hour," Evfra showed her into the headquarters. For the first time in her life, Sara feared for her life and security. " Do you have questions?"

Jaal explained a lot to Sara in the travel time to Aya and she understood a great deal already. " Who do I report to?"

" Me. You will work with your cell and complete missions assigned to that cell," Evfra answered her as they descended down to the armory. Sara surrendered her Initiative weapons temporarily and then the shooting range to familiarize herself with the new toys. Viraan watched her drop targets with moderate skill while Evfra expected the female Ryder to be a detriment to his people.

The transport pilot and cell they were traveling with asked why Sara carried her belongings in a box. She swapped it out for a pack with field efficiency and offered to let them keep the box. The crew stored the box for future use elsewhere. Sara closed her eyes and sleep while she could. The journey to Voeld presented no dangers and when they landed at the Resistance base, Scott and team already set off for the vault.

Sara turned her armor over for modifications to keep her from freezing in field. Before she could slip into a heat coma by a solar lamp two of the Resistance members nudged her awake. " Is she alive?"

" She doesn't look alive. Maybe we should take the human to our medic?"

Sara raised her hand. " All I need is my armor back," The layers of clothing coupled with solar lamp kept her alive against the nature's coldest colds bearing down on them. " And I - shit. Why is it still snowing?" She stuffed her hands under her arms.

The two exhanged shrugs and walked off. Sara almost dozed off again until Viraan roused her and thrust a helmet at her. Sara frowned when her mind registered that they offered her an angaran helmet, not her original helmet. She took it with two hands and pulled it on finding it to be a decent fit. Viraan handed over piece by piece until Sara basked in a gentle warmth. The last items, her new acquired Sandstorm and Ushior, mag locked to the armor. The pack needed restrapped to fit across the armor before Sara even considered herself ready for Voeld.

Viraan acted like Sara would die in the first hour. The other three treated Sara like an unwanted shadow. Keeping her unhappiness and social discomforts to herself, she sat in the back of a transport vehicle with almost zero shock absorption. As they pulled up to the daar Techix, Sara winced at the loud radio comms. " How are our favorite visitors?" A voice that played pleasantly against Sara's ears reminded her of Jaal. Were all male angaran possessing a sexy voice? Even Evfra, grumpy as he is, lured her in with his voice.

" Olev!" Viraan responded quickly.

Sara turned her head to eye up Viraan. Telling everyone apart while they wore the same armor proved a temporary obstacle.

" My darling Viraan! Are you to stay long?"

Why the hell could she not just go back to - aw hell she'd take Havarl over this. Even the Nexus. Sara rubbed her rifle clean for the hundredth time.

" Long enough to introduce our ambassadorial headache,"

Sara cleared her throat. " If you think I'm awful, I hope you never meet Foster Addison," She noted the sniper on the observation deck as they exited the large vehicle. She glanced down at the wrong moment, witnessing a slithering beast beneath the thick ice. Scrambling for land, her heart threatened to leap from her chest through her armor and shield. " What - in the - hell - is that?" she pointed the rifle at the ice, eyes locked on the serpent vaguely visible.

Three rifles pointed back at her.

" It's harmless," The only ally she had finally spoke up. She glared at them all, not that they'd notice, before sliding her rifle to her back again. " We call them yevara,"

Sara edged away from the ice and walked toward the door sheltered from open brutal cold. Her anger boiled internally as she reminded herself of her ambassadorial duties.

" Olev, this is Sara Ryder,"

" The Pathfinder's sister?"

Olev's surprise caught Sara by surprise. " The one and only," Sara interrupted as they approached the observation deck. " How far behind are we?"

" Half an hour at best," Sara let out a controlled breath. " A good sort of alien," Oh how Sara just wanted to shoot something right now. Is this how all her interactions with Angara would be? Clueless, hostile, or nervous?

Sara removed her helmet. " Happy to make your acqauintance, Olev. Viraan, can we proceed?" She ignored the sting of the cold against her face.

The group already reached cover. Sara just wanted to steal Scott's Nomad and run Evfra over with it. She specifically wanted her armor. Not only did Evfra throw her into a winter horror, he stripped her of her armor and weapons in a bid to 'help her think like an angaran'. Olev and Viraan exchanged the arm bump before Viraan moved up alongside of Sara. " You know him?" Sara asked casually.

Fitting the helmet back on, Sara envied the angaran resistance to cold.

" We're going to provide support for daars against kett attacks. You should make peace with yourself before we depart," Viraan ignored the question and proceeded to instruct on mission details.

Sara nodded.

Viraan looked like she wanted to say more and then proceeded to lead Sara into the daar. Heads turned and followed as word spread about Sara's involvement with the Resistance. Sara removed her helmet once again near a heat lamp and sent one more email to Tann detailing everything that she encountered excluding mission details - which she still lacked - and how she felt being surrounded by semi hostile aliens. She hesitated at the end before signing off with her first name.

She wandered and discovered the other part of the team observing a fist fight between two males on the ice. " I know I'm the alien here, but what happens once the mission is complete?" She asked Haddon.

The male turned to her slightly. " We wait for another mission. Our lives are usually short with no time for family,"

" I'm sorry to hear that,"

" It is learned you have lost family too,"

She kept her eyes forward. " Mom died of exposure to something we didn't know would cause long term cancer. Dad gave his life for Scott, and landing on Habitat 7 wasn't easy," Her arms rested on the railing.

" Habitat 7?"

Sara sighed. " We're explorers. Habitat 7 was supposed to be a planet suitable for humans. But the scourge damaged the Remnant tech there, and it caused the environment to go crazy. Air wasn't breathable, and we weren't prepared for the vault's shock wave. We all went over. Dad somehow got control of his jets and I hit mine before landing hard. Broke a rib. But Scott….his face shield broke,"

Hooked, Haddon finally turned his full attention to her.

" No. I struggled to breathe. The medi gel dulled only some of the pain. Dad swapped helmets with Scott. They couldn't save Dad. His body quit as we were shuttling him back to the ark," Sara took a deep breath. The more she talked about the loss, the easier she confronted the emotions. " Nearly lost Scott too. I honestly thought we'd be POWs when we landed on Aya,"

" Your outlaws are criminals, not the Initiative," Haddon said before glancing toward the other two. " You'll have to work hard to prove your words,"

Sara looked him in the eye. " I am under no disillusion what is required. My only regret is that the Roekaar exist. If we arrived earlier...Prevented the Nexus uprising...I want to help end the misery. The Angara deserve better,"

Haddon held out his arm to her. She awkwardly bumped hers against his. They both turned their attention back to the fight.


	17. Chapter 17

The first day on the job lead Sara to another daar harassed by kett patrols and raids. She gaped in horror at the ransacked homes and burned out husks of cover and congregation areas. " Part of our job is to also help with the aftermath," Prad Shan Kevas, their sniper, informed her. " Then we track down patrols,"

" How often do they raid?" Sara picked up a doll made of cloth and a blue cotton like material. She brushed the snow off of it and put it inside the strap gap of her pack.

At Techix everyone at least glanced at her once or twice. Here the wounded moved the dead and those capable picked up weapons to re-establish a perimeter of defense. The stench of burned cloth, flesh, and other unidentifiable smells mingled into an offensive odor. She wasn't aware of the tear rolling down her cheek until she felt a finger brush it away. Prad said nothing and Sara stepped forward. This she knew how to address.

The children slowly emerged into the open areas, moving rubble and running everywhere to deliver messages and orders for the adults. Sara tried to move the dead, except Viraan assigned her to guard the transport. Haddon reassigned Sara to stand guard at the highest point in the daar with an open view across snowy hills. As she settled behind the former viewing area, Saen and Prad joined her. Saen used a former storage crate now littered with bullet holes as a seat and rested the barrel of his rifle on the wall.

" I'm not religious but I feel like we should say a prayer for these people,"

" Are you asking?" Prad inquired. " Or stating?"

Sara glanced his direction. " Neither. It's just that...homes are destroyed. People were killed,"

" We are the answers to the prayers," Saen answered her scanning the grounds below. Vehicles strewn as if they'd been blown apart from above. " And we will avenge the dead,"

The daars problems added up. Yet the people rebounded with optimism. Sara gave the doll to a little girl who said she lost hers. Faced with a temporary food shortage, the daar asked for supplies from the Resistance. In the cover of night fall, the team rested in the former storehouse and woke to a cold morning. Sara shivered in the morning cold and wrapped herself in layers of cloth before donning the armor again. They set out with hopes of stopping a ket attack while the daar recovered.

Even though Sara tracked the ground via Resistance maps, it never seemed to run out in the vast whiteness occasionally dotted with kett machinery and dead bodies. They discovered the Nomad's tracks twice and spied on Scott, Peebee, and Vetra investigating a site with both kett and angara dead.

" Do you want to go back to the Tempest? No one would blame you," Viraan encouraged.

Sara shook her head at Viraan's bold faced attempt to run her off. " The Resistance always needs an extra body,"

" But you're a human who is clearly not able to withstand this cold,"

" It's called clothes," Sara climbed up and back into the winter specialized transport. She settled into her seat between Haddon and Prad. Viraan seated herself with Saen and they started back toward the daar. Two more nightfalls and Sara still had yet to do more than shoot less than ten kett on sight.

Haddon handled her a bracelet carved from small pebbles strung on a braided cord. " We all carry one. It's to remind us we're part of a society. Our leader is capable but aloof.. If all the Resistance were like him, our society would fall. You're a part of the team. We have your back as long as you have ours," She wrapped it three times around her wrist and hooked the simple clasp.

Viraan regarded her wearily from the field solar lamp they carried with the transport.

Sara smiled. " I appreciate it,"

Haddon sat next to her and opened his paste. The smell lured Sara in as it always did. She already tasted it during the first night at the daar. Once her rations ran out, she'd have no choice but to eat their food.

" Haddon, I have a question," She ate the potatoes cold. " What do the angara really think of the Initiative?"

He crossed his legs in what looked semi uncomfortable to Sara. " You are many races cooperating,"

" It wasn't always like that,"

If anyone actually shared the massive history with the angara, then they wouldn't be so ready to admire it. A long bloodied history that should have never been so bloody but inevitably is due to intelligent beings wanting to gain the upper hand at all times.

" But it is like that now," He offered her part of his meal. She refused. " And while many fear that, more admire it,"

" But you're not like most angara. Viraan dislikes me. What do people like Viraan think?"

Viraan scoffed. " You do not wish to hear my thoughts,"

Sara moved to sit across from Viraan. " But I do. I want to know what it is that I can do to make you more comfortable around me. I want an alley, not a close enemy," Prad and Saen watched with mild interest the interaction.

" You are an invader into our homes," Viraan replied bitterly. " You preach about friendship and alliance, yet cast your own into the vast space. You shun your outcasts,"

" Outcasts by definition are shunned by society. Your race shuns people too, or what do you call the people on Kadara who aren't residents at the former kett base?"

" Traitors," Prad muttered in contempt.

Sara shook her head. Part of it is the truth. Scott chose to found Podromos on science and the Nexus boosted military preparedness in response to the kett. The Nexus uprising put displaced souls into new space without knowing of a home to send them to beforehand.

" That is something I can not dispute, but have you not thought about why?" Sara stood her ground refusing to be made out a bad guy. She did not want Scott's work to be soured by someone's prejudice. " We encountered Kett on Eos and Habitat 7. We had a rough introduction to Andromeda. Politics is rough dirty. Doesn't matter the race. Your own people experienced that already,"

" My people aren't trying to take your homes. You are trying to take our homes,"

" Maybe if you weren't affected by the kett, you would think differently," Sara held out her hand. " Agree to disagree?"

Viraan glared at Sara. " You choose to care for one of the politicians,"

" If you know Tann half as well as I do -"

" Hypocrisy! To preach and ig-"

Sara's fist clenched at her side. " You want to cling to fear, but change is real. Not everything is evil. Your broad brush ignores who we are as a people. If I painted with the same brush-"

Haddon stood behind Sara while Prad behind Viraan. Both females separated before striking one another. Saen smirked. Women. Never could keep them happy.

Evfra's reports on Sara Ryder's adaptability begrudgingly forced him to admit that these 'humans' may be harder to kill than they appear to. He archived the reports for later use. His attentions focused on the kett command base. Scott Ryder uncovered codes for the command base shields. Unfortunately these same codes expired an hour ago. Interestingly enough not a peep from the kett base crossed their intel. It encouraged him to hope.

The headquarters buzzed with energy. Havarl's scientists reported an improvement of Havarl's wilderness. The Initiative's support revealed a genetic shift that allowed a rare healing plant to now thrive in New Palaav's ruins. Director Tann contacted Evfra directly to discuss trade and cooperation. Evfra deferred until the Pathfinder aided them on retrieving the Moshae.

Vehn Terev fled to Kadara. That's where Evfra hoped the Pathfinder traveled next. Initiative resources freed up his resources and a useful hand proved valuable regardless of race.

Governor Shie asked after his recent changes in roster before requesting additional supplies at the docks for merchant ships. Her attempt to cultivate society fell on a numb heart long battered by a scarred past. Nonetheless Evfra checked his supplies to see what could be spared. Whether he liked it or not she needed pacified time to time.

The general discussion among the people of Aya focused more on the newcomers than the Kett. Whether this proved to be to his benefit, Evfra held out his opinions. At least he could put more emphasis on kett presence reduction without overwhelming the people. At the best, Evfra wanted to believe the new help a relief to his tireless advances on the seemingly unstoppable enemy. He caught Avela Kjar communicating with the Pathfinder and ordered one of his best infiltrators to hack the communication.

" The shipment of arms is returned," Sohkaa Esof reported back to him. " Arrived via Commander Do Xeel,"

" The Pathfinder fails to disappoint,"

" You expected the human to keep the weapons," Sohkaa referenced the new inventory on his angaran omni-tool. " If so, why no send our own resources to claim it?"

Evfra reviewed the casualty report with heightened dissatisfaction. " We know he can trust their pathfinder to aid us. Let us not depend on it,"

The trader nodded. " Then you permit the trading of favors and goods to commence,"

" For now," Evfra permitted. " Alert me if they trade anything useful or new,"

Damned Initiative. All they needed to do was be greedy, self-centered soulless bastards. Why could they not adhere to that program? How hard was it to make his job easier protecting the angara?

At least he had Sara Ryder as a pawn. Best part was he needn't lift a finger. The kett would eventually do the killing for him. If he really wanted Sara Ryder to stick around, all he had to do was extend her an invitation into the Resistance. So far Viraan called her a useful headache. He accepted a useful headache over no volunteers.

Too late to ask what currency the people used Evfra sent Director Tann another communication. They had special teams he wanted to coordinate strike efforts with. To his surprise the male who responded appeared to be 'turian'. How did this Initiative determine who held what role if they were different species?


	18. Chapter 18

Sara consumed too much of their alcohol comparable substances after celebrating the victory over liberating a camp of twenty some slaves. She woke up partially disrobed laying next to Prad and a heat lamp designated for her use.

Prad's arm pulled her close again.

Did she…

Embarrassment overcame her as she tugged on the carefully layered clothing as best she could. A pair of lips kissed her neck. " What's wrong?"

Prad's voice sent chills up her spine. Sara shrugged off the chills determined to not be too bothered by a natural act.

" Did we?"

" Yes," His strong arms and muscular body felt good against hers. She stopped fighting the panic and enjoyed the brief moment. " You were intoxicatingly wonderful,"

Her brow lifted comically. " Really?" She remembered none of it.

Prad tickled her sides. " The way you danced, hips swaying, the laughter as you spun on your feet. And later, not too soon after with you on top-" Her face burned with growing understanding how many witnesses may have overheard or seen her uninhibited actions. " I want more,"

Shit, shit, shit. Tann, Kandros, and Prad? Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit to the nth power!

His contented sigh broke her heart. She breathed deeply. " I don't remember any of it," She wanted to remember at least some of it.

" I can reacquaint you," She swore the color of her face matched the color of her blood exposed to oxygen. " All you need to do is say yes,"

Yes. No. Yes. NO!

Her brows pressed together as she imagined where their appendage hid. Turians had plates that concealed the member. Humans 'let it hang out'. Salarians….well she was too embarrassed to describe it.

" If we do, will we keep it our little secret?"

Prad rolled her to face him. " Last night was very public, but if you want I can forget about it now," She inwardly winced at the thought of public sex.

" Prad, I may be in love with someone else,"

" And I may die tomorrow,"

Well she couldn't argue with that.

" Was I a strong performer last night?" She trailed her hands along his neck and chest. So unlike Kandros. So not human. Entirely intoxicating.

He lifted her hips to his. " I believe you said my name in admiration and appreciation," He whispered far more into her ear making her wish she remembered last night because the way he described it it must have been a-mazing!

Sara closed her eyes. " Stop teasing me. Just show me what you 'inspire' before everyone wakes up," Her lips crushed beneath his, the lurking Saen observing while pretending to be asleep next to a large boulder.

Prad and Sara acted as if nothing happened between them, but Viraan and Haddon eluded to the first coupling during their first rounds at the nearest daar they escorted the freed slaves to. Only Saen stayed silent on the subject. A thoroughly embarrassed Sara avoided even looking at Prad who kept admiring her in a kind but not intrusive manner. Haddon traded glances with Saen and Haddon turned the engine off. Heavy snow blocked their path. Saen triggered the beacon under his seat. Viraan stopped checking her omnitool.

" What's wrong?"

Sara poked her head out the door. " Haddon, you may want to rever-"

" We're snowed in. If we try to move now, we'll dig ourselves in more,"

" So we're going wait out a blizzard and freeze to death?" Sara climbed forward, Viraan pushing her back. Prad caught her before she could hit her elbow off the arm rest. " If we're buried in, we'll die,"

" Don't worry. I contacted the daar. They'll send a team to retriev-"

" In a blizzard?" Sara tried again, held back by Prad. " Are you crazy?!"

Viraan sneered.

" Enough, Viraan," Prad snapped.

" You're the one-"

" What happened is none of your business," Sara almost yelled. " Fuck this, I'll walk,"

Prad anchored her down. " No, you won't. We need to stay put,"

" Then move the damn vehicle!" Sara yelled at Haddon. Her omnitool flared to life as she messaged SAM and Scott with coordinates. Prad let go of her waist. " Don't you dare stroke my hair like I'm a cat,"

" What's a-"

" Shut up, Saen!" Sara heaved in proper panic.

The loud thud of bodies hitting the ground outside went unnoticed. The door wrenched open and a chosen stared at all of them. Sara kicked it hard with the heel of her boot and ducked away from Viraan's firing pistol.

" Start the vehicle!" she ordered Haddon.

Pulled from the vehicle, Sara screamed in profanity before the snow blinded her. Without her helmet she risked frostbite. Prad raised his rifle and fired into the blizzard missing Sara by inches. Haddon failed to start the vehicle. Saen dropped down next to a tire and took cover. Dragged through soft deep snow by a stronger taller enemy, Sara twisted and dug her hands into the snow, never striking solid earth.

Viraan shoved Haddon to side against the door and pressed the button to engage the engines. It jumped to life. Haddon pushed her down to avoid the anointed unloading ammunition into the cab. Both Prad and Saen targeted the anointed at the same time. Sara finally lay flat with two chosen above her thinking she hit her head too hard to climb to her feet. Breathing hard, she dragged her hand to her side. Her fingers creeped across the trigger and grasp.

Hopping to her feet, Sara pulled the trigger twice and lunged forward with the omnitool blade. Kett blood squirted across Sara's face. She whirled on the remaining chosen and fell back, a broken nose stunning calculated aim into a wild shot glancing off the kett's shoulder. For the second time in two minutes, kett blood splattered across Sara's face, temporarily blinding her.

She screamed at being grabbed. Saen tackled her to the ground and pinned her arms to her chest. " Calm down!"

" Let me go,"

Saen wrestled the pistol from her. Sara scrambled away from him after his weight lifted. She grabbed a handful of snow and pressed it to her face, scrubbing away the snow and repeating the action two more times before Prad grabbed her off the ground gently.

" Are you bleeding?"

Her nose throbbed horribly, eyesight restored. " Bastard broke my nose," Swelling already started. She sat down in the snow and prepared to reset it while everyone watched in confusion. Viraan held her helmet, dreading the report to Evfra and thoroughly aggravated at Sara freaking out over a prank that everyone agreed on before leaving out that morning. Sara grunted in pain resetting the cartilage. She finally looked up at all of them.

Haddon and Viraan framed the background of a destroyed ground transport. Prad cleared his throat. " Are you further injured?" She shook her head. " Is your brother on his way?" She checked her email again and announced thanks to deciding 'sleeping it off in the transport is a good idea' decision they were fucked. She snatched the helmet from Viraan and held out her hand for the pistol Saen seized from her. He handed it back reluctantly. Sara maglocked the Ushior to her leg and eased the helmet over her head.

Sara set off across the deepening snowfield emailing Scott as she went. Stumbling along stubbornly, Sara prayed that someone got them before she passed out of exhaustion and her armor's solar heat battery. Blindly believing her map she walked right into Scott's team. Right behind them the rest of her team stubbornly tailed her.

In the near white out, Scott forced Sara into the Nomad. Lexi immediately started a physical of her current well being. " I already informed Commander Do Xeel you are stranded. Unfortunately they're locked in. We have back up. Peebee flies the shuttle. Once the weather cleared up, we're flying out. Business is complete on Voeld and we need to track down the Moshae at that facility that's impossible to enter,"

Inside the vehicle, Sara shivered and winced as Lexi helped Sara mend her nose.

" What exactly did Sara share?" Prad asked carefully.

Scott shrugged. " That you were ambushed, transport destroyed, and she had 15 hours left on the battery," He cleared his throat. " Should I know something?"

" Sara is special," Prad copped to it. " I want her to be happy and safe,"

" You and Sara had sex, didn't you?" Scott crossed his arms and stared Prad down. " Look, I know that she's her own person, but if you so much as hurt her, I will kill you,"

If it weren't for the blizzard, Prad would've hugged Scott. Ignorant of the reveal, Sara cried out as Lexi stabbed a booster shot into her numb arm. " Easy! You're a doctor, not a killer," Sara the crook of her arm.

" You should've seen Scott the moment he received the email. Two hours of sleep and one word about you and a blizzard and he yanked me and Liam on the rescue trip," Sara cocked a brow at a dozing Liam. " Don't worry about him,"

She kicked the seat. Liam snored undisturbed. Lexi shook her head and placed a datapad in Sara's hands. " I know you won't be leaving the Resistance soon so this is all the information we have on the angara anatomy, the culture, how sex likely works, their known medical problems, weaknesses, strengths, and every rumor Peebee dug up," Sara tucked the datapad into her side pouch.

" So when are you and Scott going to have blue babies?" Sara teased.

" When you and Tann raise Salarian babies," Lexi countered with a ready smile. " It is still Tann, right?"

" Yes and no. I'm starting to think I'm going after something that is impossible to achieve," Sara admitted. " I need the physical, not so much the emotional. And I feel guilty about bedding Kandros,"

Liam stirred and turned into a semi fetal position. Sara shook her head. Lexi hugged her. Scott opened the door. " Peebee's here,"

Sara gingerly pulled her helmet back on. Scott helped walk her to the temporary shelter that would see them through the storm.


	19. Chapter 19

Sara laid on a cot in excruciating pain, Drack pinning her down by the shoulders and Dr. Harihn already fished out the three rounds that penetrated the armor with Lexi's help. Vetra and Cora forced Scott to stand back as Sara's life precariously depended on medicine and hopes. Liam and Jaal guarded the ship in the absence of its protective crew. A guilty Peebee waited out Scott's yelling lecture sure to come about responsibility and communicating.

The dispatched orders from Lexi already created a ripple effect. Commander Do Xeel warned Evfra that the human almost died. Evfra warned Paaran Shie, and Paaran Shie sent Director Tann a request to transfer responsibility of the human back to the Initiative. Director Tann, upon hearing about Sara's fragile state, demanded Scott return Sara to Nexus for rest and recuperation.

By the time Sara was even remotely aware of the world around her, the Tempest departed Voeld and left behind a world of snow, ice, and bitter cold. Vetra and Drack planned for Scott to be distracted, giving Cora the preference when they needed information. Peebee stayed in the escape pod or research area while Jaal and Scott attempted to provide Lexi relief from watching over Sara 24/7.

A heavily medicated Sara with a garishly bright yellow cast was carried off the Tempest by Scott and Jaal. A very, very, very irritated Jarun Tann waited for them with a wheelchair and security head Tiran Kandros. Sara's face lit up when she spotted the pair. In that moment Scott held no doubts about Tann's loyalties.

" Hello, handsome," Sara cooed up at Tann, whose expression softened only a little. " Long time, no see,"

Tann pat her head. " Likewise," Scott and Drack's curiously confused - appalled faces quickly changed to serious when Tann looked over the Pathfinder team. " Refuel, restock, rest, and then set back out first thing tomorrow. We need the Moshae and the Moshae needs you,"

Sara fake saluted her friends and companions. Tann started her up the ramp. Kandros stayed behind for a deeper debriefing. Her living quarters restored, Sara was helped into her bed by Tann before Tann sized up her current abilities from her present condition before reading Lexi's report.

" She's a Ryder" He remarked to Tann. " I'll have one of my help watch after her tonight. Tomorrow I'll conduct a physical and see if she will be able to be put on a duty roster,"

" She is clearly injured beyond physical usefulness at the moment," Tann protested. " I will not risk her future health for productivity,"

Dr. Carlisle bowed out of Tann's way. Tann brushed back Sara's hair affectionately. Awkwardly out of place, Kandros waited till Dr. Carlisle noticed him to involve himself. Letting himself out again, Dr. Carlisle nodded in passing to Kandros.

" The Pathfinder said that she responded to an emergency transmission. Ambushed by kett and then trapped in the frozen wilderness for hours," Kandros explained the cause of the current disabilities. " Two other team members made it back to the base. " Three unaccounted for,"

Tann didn't give a fuck about angaran casualties. Sara lay in a bed unable to defend herself!

Noting Tann's clearly angered state of being, Kandros put space between them. Clearly the director cared about Sara. " If anyone needs me, I will be here," Tann informed Kandros before tucking the chair to the side and sitting in the kitchenette to read the reports.

A half hour later, Dr. Carlisle's help showed up and checked vitals. Tann prepared a small meal for Sara as the medicine faded and reality took grip. She struggled to sit up relying on Tann to help.

" I assume you are aware they found survivors of the turian ark," Brina said as Sara tapped the cast. " On an alien planet of all places,"

Tann pressed a finger to his lips.

" Yes,, we did," Sara replied, tempted to go back to sleep. " And no we don't know who the ark is,"

" And that you discovered asari ark survivors on Eos?" Undeterred Brina moved closer to Sara.

Sara sighed. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to move her leg. A headache pinged in relentless fury. If she acted weak in front of Tann he may not let her out of her quarters. " We have,"

" But no salarian ark,"

"No," Sara glanced at Tann. She vowed to find the ark on Tann and Kallo's behalf. " If you're really interested in what is occurring-"

" Is it true that your brother discovered an ancient angaran A.I?"

Tann pointed at the door. " I will instruct when we need you," Brina pouted before scampering back to the Hyperion. Tann made himself comfortable again at Sara's side. " What really happened?" He demanded as she cut up the food clumsily.

Sara let loose an avalanche of details of Peebee's grand misadventure on Voeld that coincidentally included a kett ambush and mission coordinates for the Resistance. Tann insisted she not return to the planet and swore that she only need to ask for her choice in assignments. That exact moment she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

" I'm happy where I'm at. With you," She meant every word.

Tann touched his cheek in embarrassment.

" It's quite alright to not know how to respond. I mean it's not like I can change that you're aromantic. I take comfort in your company, and that is all I need,"

Lately Tann started to doubt if he were truly aromantic. His obsession with gaining Sara's trust and good opinion entered the romantic territory. " You are always welcome in my life, Sara,"

" And you in mine," Sara stubbed the piece of potato and shoved it in her mouth. Tann leaned back in his chair and mulled over his recent confusion. " I do have one question for you though," She misaimed at the round mass several times. " If you don't mind, I am a sexual being,"

HIs face dead panned. " Are you asking permission?"

Sara giggled. " Maybe. I want my cake and eat it too,"

He leaned forward. " I am asexual and aromantic. I find calm in your presence, and I prefer your company. I want you to be - to be certain you are certain that I am what you want," No her certainly did not want her to be unhappy, nor did he feel any sort of possessiveness toward her. " And if I am, then...yes. You can 'have and eat the cake too'," Her shoulders sagged in relief and she resumed eating her meal in true piece.

Tann decided that he wasn't going to interfere with her sexual interest in Kandros. She deserved to have her needs met, just as he did. She satisfied him and had yet to embarrass him. Only after she fell asleep, he called back Brina to watch over Sara. He caught Kandros clocking off the shift and heading toward the living quarters.

He held out his hand to Kandros. " Take good care of her,"

The turian nodded. " I will," He shook Tann's hand, actually pitying the male salarian. Kandros regret to inform Sara the following day that he involved himself with another female turian. He called off their sexual hijinks, leaving Sara secured with Tann's loyalty and lacking sexual satisfaction. In a mild bout of depression and anxiety, Sara hobbled about the Nexus determined to not be a total liability.

Word spread fast enough for people to treat Sara differently. Those who figured that Sara influenced Tann, tried to woo her into their point of view. Those who wanted to bring Tann to his knees made her life difficult. Those who didn't care one way or another became Sara's favorite kind of person. She spent every other night at the Vortex with Kandros drinking and talking about the angara, Voeld, Havarl, and the Resistance. On the rare occasion she spent a night alone, she emailed Scott for updates.

Tann's second night in Sara's living quarters welcomed him to the spoils of cuddling and pillow talk. By the sixth night he decided that while he is asexual and aromantic, he liked knowing Sara trusted him. Seeing her naked stirred nothing but her mind - her mind transported him to the closest 'home' he could claim in Andromeda. By the second week of her presence on the Nexus, Tann already plotted how to keep her near him as often as possible. He learned to love the confusion Sara inspired in him and he never once complained about the Ryders again.

Dr. Carlisle kept an eye on the fledgling love affair, going as far as to advise Sara on how to conduct herself sexually if it ever went that far. Her thorough embarrassment proved that despite being a fully capable woman, she still emotionally needed the confirmation of a lover for validity. He shared stories of her father with her during her well visits in an effort to engender a connection that she could trust him. Sara trusted few people and Harry Carlisle little by little started to earn it.

Life started to settle down for Sara as it heated up for Scott. He now strategized with the angara to breach the facility where the Moshae was behind held. The impregnable shield currently taunted him and the team Evfra sent to accompany them. Scott hoped that Sara got along better than him at the moment. He had a gut feeling that he'd end up worse off than Sara taking the three rounds and being slammed forcefully.

He had no idea how wrong his prediction was.


	20. Chapter 20

One.

"...got no sense of…"

Two.

" ...preservation. Didn't shoot…"

Three.

Viraan tried to stand. The ground swayed beneath her. She gripped a railing, her world out of control.

A strong hand grabbed her from behind. " Where do you think you're going?" An angaran, most likely female, held her firm. " Oy, Callot, one of them is out,"

She inhaled sharply and swung hard. A sharp jab in the neck and she blacked out.

Waking up on Kadara farm in shock, Viraan learned in growing horror that Angara now turned to slavery as well. She swallowed hard and soaked up the solar rays to regain her strength. Familiar voices neared the shack. She recognized Saen and Haddon instantly on sight. Neither acknowledged her as they set about placing farming tools out of her reach. " Haddon!" She called out.

Saen turned toward her and pointed his pistol. " You say one more word and I will make sure you end up in kett custody,"

" You Veshanaan,"

" Careful," Haddon brandished a hoe. " We're not too picky whether you end up dead before we get what we want,"

Viraan lunged forward and nearly choked herself. The chain to the far post prevented her escape. All this time she thought the human would turn on her and it was her own people! Resistance members even!

The two men exited the shack again. Viraan struggled in vain to free herself but they anchored the chain to a post buried deep in the ground. Tools and resources out of reach, all she could do was watch free angara farm the vegetables that exclusively adapted to Kadara's toxic soil and water. When she finally passed out from exhaustion in the wee hours of the next morning, she woke again inside a mass land transport. Saen bled out dead within reach of her hands. Gunfire outside the transport alarmed her.

Lunging forward she pillaged his corpse for the key to her restraints, acting on pure instinct at this point. Once free she grabbed his Dhan. Whether she wanted Sara's help or not, she trusted that even Sara Ryder would help her figure out what the hell she just escaped.

The last glance over her shoulder was that of a kett transport loading up a daar's older population without resistance. Two days later, she sent the message to Sara asking for back up, not trusting her other contacts in the Resistance just yet. Sara turned the email over to Kandros promptly.

" Damn," He read it over and over to make sure that every word connected into a clear image. " And this is that female angaran that wanted your head?"

" Or my carapace," She tossed back, raking her fingers through her hair. " Shock aside, she's accusing Haddon and Saen, two former team mates, of horrible crimes,"

" Crimes that need investigated," Kandros agreed. " I'll have a team rendezvous with her. Coordinates help," He nodded to her cast. " How much longer?"

" Harry says total eight weeks," Sara smiled at the idea of being able to walk without crutches again. This wasn't the first time she needed to use crutches but it certainly is the most frustrating. " After that, I think...I don't think that Tann will let me back into the field," Truth be told from the number of experiences she had on Voeld she didn't want back in the field.

Being fired at point blank while trapped in a cab. Being almost captured by kett multiple times. Taking hits until her shields were collapsed and all she had was an out cropping, vehicle, or person to cover her. Running out of ammo in the middle of a firefight. Witnessing the aftermath of a kett raid on a daar and its hardy people. Nearly freezing to death more than once because they were forced to take the long way around kett at times. She just wasn't fit to be on Voeld, but other planets like Elaaden, Eos, or Kadara may be more suitable for her. Still she didn't want to be a soldier who was responsible for protecting people. That was too much on her conscience.

Kandros handed the coordinates over to Holland. " Do you want back in the field?"

She shook a finger at him. " You know I do. I almost died facing down well over twenty kett. All while 1. We were responding to Peebee who got lost. 2. We were on our way to a resistance mission. 3. We were ambushed. It wasn't exactly something people are prepared for. Especially former archaeologists,"

He smirked. " I think you like the thrill,"

" No. I hate the thrill. I like discovering history and people. Just not when they prefer to kill us," She shrugged and adjusted her crutch. " My brother chases thrills. Just not in women. His choice in women is more subdued, thank goodness,"

" Lexi T'Perro," Kandros stated with intention. " I approve,"

She raised a brow. " I hope you don't intend to make a move on her,"

He leaned in, taller than her. " I look forward to the challenge," His hand extended.

" You dirty dirty -you're teasing me. Ha ha. Because you'd know that I'd space you if you poached Scott's love interests while he's invested in them and they're invested in him," Half the Ops in the room went silent. " Kidding. I'm kidding!"

Kandros put his arm around her shoulder. " You know upon my turian honor that I respect boundaries. And upon my turian honor I will not insult you or your brother's efforts to help us find a home. To find our people," His arm dropped from her shoulder and pat her back. " Now hop along. I have your comrade covered,"

She looked him in the eye. " Viraan may be a - well an unpleasant individual, but she's a proud soldier. She loves her people. If you prove to her that we're just as worthy, that's one less obstacle and it's an achievement to APEX, not Ryder,"

" But it's Ryder who knows the monsters well," Kandros intended to see the whole mission through to round up Haddon and Saen. " I"ll need that mind o yours when we apprehend them,"

Sara hobbled away glad to be of assistance when she couldn't do much physically. Kandros pointed to Holland. " Team Alpha. Immediately." Holland moved to the console to pass along orders.

Scott, Lexi, and crew escorted a weakened Moshae Sjefa back to Aya where they were greeted by a welcome party of Evfra de Tershaav, Governor Paaran Shie, and assistants. " You almost killed my sister," Scott hissed at Evfra after the Governor extended an embassy invitation to Aya.

" Your sister volunteered to be useful," Evfra walked with Scott unafraid of the Pathfinder and crew. " She's living and breathing on the Nexus,"

" I know. You spoke with her. Seems you have a difficult time vetting people's character," Scott cleared his throat forcefully. " I assume you are following up,"

" Why wouldn't I?" An insulted Evfra demanded.

" You let Terev flee to Kadara," Where Sloane Kelly killed him and put his head on a stick, but that was BESIDE the point.

Evfra grabbed Scott's arm and faced him. " You do not know what you speak-"

Scott scoffed. " You are unaware of how much interracial, interpersonal politics I have encountered in the past two and half months. I have a full degree in political fuckery from field experience alone,"

" Then you understand why-"

" If you don't resolve the situation, I will," Scott warned Evfra before removing the angaran hand from his forearm. " Now I'm going to contact Director Tann and start the opening of the embassy on the Nexus,"

Evfra paused and let Scott move three steps back to the Tempest. " You can escort Prad Shan Kevas with you back to the Nexus. He requested the position and supplied a replacement sniper. Your sister can help him understand the Nexus faster. Reduce interracial complications,"

Three hours later, Prad boarded the Tempest with minimal belongings. Jaal hugged him like an old friend even though they just met, the pair bunking together in the tech lab. Vetra and Peebee snacked and watched the men from the meeting area above. " They gossip like girls," Vetra chuckled. " The angara are a strange race. Like the Elcor except with audible passion,"

" Hey! My father was elcor,"

" We know," Vetra nudged Peebee back. " Jaal doesn't let us forget. Nor does he let Liam bully him into answering every question. It's good to see Jaal with a friend,"

Peebee rolled her shoulder recalling her spat with Sara on the shuttle before it crashed. " Prad's taken. Another Sara victim," Vetra slapped her upside the tendrils. " What was that for-"

" For calling my sister a whore," Scott called up from the research station. " Thank you, Vetra,"

Vetra moved to hold the Pyjack, and rubbed his head. " That's a good boy. Too bad we can't give you a mate," The pyjak wrapped its tail around her arm and leaned in to the tender touch.

" You know that it pees everywhere, right?" Liam moved from a console diagonal to Scott. " I'm with Drack on this one. Put it in a stew,"

" Hey! That's the closest we have to a pet. We are not adopting a kaerkyn," Vetra scolded Liam in swift change from teasing to serious.

" Ha!" Peebee slipped the pyjak a piece of her veggie chips. " I bet Jaal can convince you,"

" Nope," Scott shook his head plugging away at the research station. The schematics on the screen preoccupied the Pathfinder. Vetra smirked. " Stop that, V,"

Vetra put their mascot down and leaned on the railing again. " I want to see blue babies, Scott. We'll even call one of them Alec, Sam, and what's your mother's name?"

" I appreciate the thought, but no amount of blue babies will make this world any safer until we give people the security they need,"

" Hey, Lexi!" Vetra called out the Tempest doctor that walked through the door. " You should convince Scott to let us relax at the Nexus for a few days,"

Jaal and Prad poked their heads out.

" See. Even our guest agrees it's a good decision," Scott frowned up at them and made the mistake of glancing over Lexi in subtle appreciation. The heckling lasted the entirety of the trip back to the Nexus. Before they set foot on the Nexus, Prad learned more about Scott than Evfra ever would through spies.

Tann and Sara waited for the Tempest crew.

" Sara?" Tann hesitated.

" Yes, Tann?" She smiled at him, miffed as he brushed her hand away.

" We should reconsider what I talked about earlier. Andromeda is in chaos and I'm Salarian. You need someone that can give you what you need and I need to care for the Initiative,"

Sara dropped the datapad in shock.

" Sara, I-"

" I understand," She answered quickly. " How long have you made up your mind?"

He glanced over at her. " When I spoke to Dr. Carlisle. He said that you needed an anchor who met every need. You're a hot blooded woman with so much to offer, and who you choose is lucky to spend their time with you,"

She breathed deeply. " I'm going to start taking it as an insult if people keep telling me that. First Kandros. Now you. Maybe Prad too. Goddess, I hope not,"

" The volunteer?" A surprised Tann asked.

She looked Tann in the eye. " Evfra is paranoid. He wants well trained people in case we turn on the Angara," Sara flipped through the data files with a flick of her fingers. " I don't blame him.

The Tempest set down. Both of them looked onward in relief, letting the awkwardness and tension drift elsewhere for the moment.


	21. Chapter 21

They stood in an office in the operations area that would be home to the Angaran delegation. Sara rested on her crutch while Prad and Jaal sized it up. " If any -"

" Don't go too far," Jaal motioned her to sit down at the desk and chair. " We'll need to discuss what you relayed to Evfra,"

" You mean Viraan?"

" Yes," Prad answered for Jaal.

Sara lowered her gaze to the floor, thoroughly embarassed. " She was a comrade. Comrades stick together. Besides from what I read she's going to gut the prick,"

" What is a 'prick'?" Prad asked as he videoed the office for Evfra. " Is it where you cut yourself because if that is the situation, he is not a prick. He is a gaping wound," And by he, they meant Haddon. Viraan confirmed that Saen died before the real attack started on the daar.

She laughed. " Well, Viraan promised to ensure they endanger no one else,"

The two men faced her. " Were you interested in joining the Resistance?"

" No," Flattered as she was, the answer never would change. " Not in the soldier aspect. I learned that Scott is the soldier, not me. I can shoot and kill, but soldiering? Nah," She smiled at them both. " I'll work with Evfra though. He's capable, tough, and straight forward. I can deal with assholes. Evfra is just another version of my father. Before Mom,"

" Your mother was a special woman," Prad assumed for all to hear.

Sara pointed at her eyes then back at one of the former Eos colonists from the first two attempts. They defiantly observed across the way. " Almost like the Moshae. Obviously she never saved an entire race, but if it weren't for Mom, blood would be the only thing that connected us. Mom's dead. Dad's dead. Scott almost died. I almost died. All I want is a world where dieing of old age is common,"

A gentle knock at the framing turned their heads. Kandros lounged almost like he was modeling. " Welcome to the Nexus,"

" The cultural center is a wonder," Jaal gushed without hesitation. " I wish we could boast of the same monuments ourselves,"

Sara hardly considered a few holographic pedestals and voice explained history monuments, but given the perspective, the angara lost a lot of their history to the kett and the scourge. If it weren't for the folk tales and gritty folk, there may not be any angara left. Sara glanced at Prad, then Kandros. She had a problem with finding someone, or maybe she just wanted something impossible. Either way she needed to figure it out and be happy. " Hey, Prad, you want to catch some drinks my place?"

" Oh do you have strong drinks? I'd prefer you stick a non-alcoholic drink if you don't want to forget," Prad moved to her side before she could even ready her own crutches.

She poked his leg with her crutch. " Just becausse I was black out drunk doesn't mean I didn't want to. I wanted a lot, but we have reputations to worry about," Kandros's uplifted grin hinted at his own approval of Prad. Good. She preferred to have his approval.

" I understand," Prad slung his pack over his shoulder. " I just wanted to be clear,"

She rolled her eyes. " Kandros, Prad, Prad, Kandros,"

The two men nodded to each other. Jaal laughed. " They don't know?" He demanded of Sara in much amusement.

" I told Kandros everything, Jaal. We're friends first, associates second. Besides with everything transpiring lately, I need drinks. So if you want to talk about it, follow me,"

Prad followed her while Jaal stayed back with Kandros. " You are upset," She dared to answer him truthfully. " I'm sorry," He tried to comfort her.

She shrugged off his heartfeld attempt. " Why? It was never going to work anyway. I'm not mad. Just disappointed," More in herself than the rest of the world. If she could just figure it out and not leave a string of men in her wake the world wouldn't refer to her as less than her twin.

He put his arm around her waist and hugged her from behind. Sara relaxed. One of Leandra's spies disappeared from sight, content to know that Kandros wasn't going to be sneaking off to Sara again. " What can I do to help?"

" Drink with me," She leaned back into him. " At least one or two,"

One or two short drinks turned into a short tour of the living quarters. Prad soaked up the bare surroundings in silent appreciation of her few momentos and attention to cleanliness. He noted her articularly arranged wardrobe with some interest. " Interesting," His head swiveled and landed on her shower area.

She came up behind him and hugged him. He stiffened under skin to skin contact and relaxed the longer she held him like that.

" Do you want to talk?" He asked asked again.

Her fingers clenched around his waist. She blinked rapidly away unexpected tears. " I failed someone, and I don't want to fail anyone else again,"

Prad sensed that she spoke of more than vague words. More than Tann. More than losing her father. He pried her arms away and turned to face her. " Would you like to shower and rest?"

" No," Her voice cracked. Prad's instincts raised. " I want to help you set up the embassy. Are you providing your own furniture and decorations or do I need to talk to Tann?"

His hands wrapped around hers. " I thought you and Evfra cleared the details?" He pressed his forehead to hers.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to bask in the moment. It soothed a tired soul. " No," Prad would have to be the pretty lie she embraced until Prad decided to leave her. " But that's fine. I'll talk to Tann and Kesh will be expecting help or is Evfra hoping I'll help you get close to Tann?"

" Likely the others will follow in days to come," Prad admitted. " We have the laws already forwarded to your Director, and if you need curency-"

Sara put a hand over his arm. " I adore you, Prad," The knock at the door stopped her from admitting too much. " It's open," She called out.

The doors parted to reveal Scott ducking away from someone. He hurried to lock it behind him.

" You were saying?" Prad nudged Sara.

She looked up at him. " I'll make sure we have the embassy set up in less than two days," Her promise disappointed Prad. " Scott, who are you dodging now?" She started to brew coffee for them expecting him to stay a while.

" I have a fan following, and the ladies are especially determined," Scott replied. " I can go-"

Prad seated himself on the small couch. " Unnecessary,"

" Completely," Sara turned her back to the coffee pot and crossed her arms. " Tann unceremoniously dumped me on Harry's urging. Kandros is in a relationship with another turian. I'm certain half the station is calling me names I will not repeat,"

" But why? You are lovely and kind and brave," Prad cringed at the disappointment contorting her pretty face and blooming heart.

Both twins faced him. Scott explained the societal standards and Sara exposed her long list of conquests that dated back to the Milky Way. Prad walked right up to Sara and put his hands on her cheeks. He looked her in the eye and spoke softly.

" Love of body and love of heart do not need to be exclusive or inclusive. You are a lovely person worthy of a true love. We all are,"

Sara's composure slipped before her annoyed expression reinstituted itself. Scott and Prad sat down on the couch for a game of dice while Sara poured Coffee for three and watched them play. She lead a strange, strange life, and one day she would figure it out.

All Sara thought about were blue babies crawling over the floor with Scott yelling at them not to climb. To not spill the milk. To pick up their toys. To stop crying and then apologize and cuddle them immediately. Maybe Lexi watched it all with an amused smile. Maybe she scolded Scott. What Sara wouldn't give for a day like that to come! To just relax and worry if your relatives are embarassing.

She looked up at Scott's poking. " You alright?"

" I'm fine," Sara lied. " Just tired and dusty,"

" You can travel with me once the leg is healed,"

" No. I'm...I'm going to wait until this 'archon' is put in his place. Preferably sooner than later," Sara rubbed her brow. " Being shot at nearly killed, I gained perspective. I like exploring with minimal risks," Not being targeted by Kett would be a nice change.

Prad listened intently, remembering this for his own purposes rather than Evfra's intel gathering.

Scott handed her the dice. " I have to track down Keri T'vessa. She wanted another interview," He put his cup in the sink and unlocked the door.

" Do you know where you'll be living while on the Nexus?" Sara cleared her throat and fingered the cup in her hands. " Do you have any experience being an ambassadorial headache?"

He cracked a smile. " No,"

" A sniper that is an ambassador,"

" An archaeologist that is an ambassador,"

" Not anymore," Sara sipped her tea. " Now I'm just Sara,"

Prad tested the coffee and stomached it without complaint. " Who is working with the Resistance leader,"

" As long as I'm not called Shena," Scott introduced her to Reyes Vidal via information from the team's encounters on Kadara. " Like I said, Evfra is a respectable man. The fact he's an asshole is unfortunate,"

" Will the tired and dusty Sara show me to my room?" Prad asked of her. She finished her coffee and grabbed her crutches. They talked about Evfra's expectations for the embassy and Sara's expectations of working with Evfra via long distance. She talked to Tann as they hobbled along, taking directions. " Well look at you! How generous of Tann to put you up in one of the living spaces meant for the previous leaders,"

The living area sprawled out over a larger foot print than Sara's and boasted of no personal touches. Prad set his pack down and walked through the space. Sara silently let herself out before she was tempted to stay. Prad turned to ask her something and discovered her gone. He let himself relax and dwell in the peace.

Tann waited for Sara at her apartment. She checked to see whether she locked it on her way out but Tann answered that before she opened her mouth. " I let myself in. Couldn't think with Kandros and Addison and Kesh demanding compromises and bodies and resources we don't have," Sara cleaned the coffee cups and washed her hands.

The sound of his pacing stopped. Sara turned around and hobbled over to the table. Tann pulled her chair out and offered a hand to her. She placed her hand in his and lowered into the chair.

" And don't tell me to wake more people up. Kesh already said we're having trouble keeping our people fed and alive,"

" If they keep killing each other, soon it won't even matter," Sara said in resignation. " Have a seat. Not like I'm running away,"

He put himself close to her. " You are my eyes and ears and Evfra de Tershaav specifically demanded liason,"

" Not by my choice but there are worse people to work with. Like Addison," Tann lowered his head and lips pursed. Sara rubbed his shoulder in consolation. " Don't worry. If I kill Evfra, you'll be the first person I tell,"

Tann relaxed under her hands. Sara soon learned about the rest of the troubles that drove him to her living quarters.


	22. Chapter 22

Furniture: Desk -2, Chairs - 6, storage lockers - set of four, communication station - tbd.

Sara paused her inventory long enough to observe the angara direct the Nexus help. Prad took stock of everything in the room and its placement before walking over to Sara. " Yes?"

" You sent Evfra a file on all the Initiative's laws and regulations. He has issue with several sections and needs clarification on multiple others. Also the no weapon policy on the Nexus, given our history with the kett,"

She quirked a brow. Just because I work with Tann doesn't mean I change policy. Besides, we're all defenseless except Kandros and security personnel," She pointed her screen tool at him. " And Evfra sent me far more data to slog through for Tann and people than any person will ever need,"

" It is our future, our way of life," His head cocked in confusion, eyes showing betrayal at her doubt in him and his people.

" Not saying that it isn't relevant. Only that I haven't had a short day since your arrival,"

Prad put his arm around her waist. " You are a gem,"

" Well, thank you, but it has caused me headaches, which Harry said were once long defeated by our medicine. I've taken the precaution of spending less time reading and more time organizing everything. I think Evfra's whining is an old man's baseless complaints. Especially since the burden is likely passed onto Governor Shie and assistants,"

He pressed his mouth to her forehead.

Sara slapped his chest. " Not on the job. Besides, I still have pages of documentation to read and organization just so the average person can walk through Aya without breaking a law,"

" Prad will help with consulting, I'm sure," The female angaran handpicked by Governor Shie poked fun." He is not needed at the moment,"

Sara's lip twitched. " I'll pass. As wonderful as he is, I do need to keep up some sense of professionalism. Drinks later while I complain about Evfra?" Sara missed the lead ambassador's observant visual stalking.

Once Sara left the office, Prad turned to his mother. " You are incorrigible,"

" And I want grandchildren," Florinel Shan Kevas shook a finger at him. " Even if they are human,"

" Mother!"

" Do not scold me. After losing your father, and your brother and two sisters-"

Kandros cleared his throat and clutched his hands behind his back. Florinel reset her initial emotionally open self and motioned for Prad to assume his duties aside from flirting. " Are you comfortable?" He asked casually. The Ryder twins are magnets for strangeness and new experiences to include introduction to new races and cultures. Conflict always inevitably followed them. The angara are no different.

Prad arranged law books on shelves, an ear open to whatever he may find useful.

" My son informs me that his interest is now sunk into the Initiative science and desires to learn how it operates and how we may apply it to our own knowledge,"

Prad stiffened. " I am?"

" Yes, you are,"

Kandros and Prad exchanged mutual glances to not argue the point with a determined woman. " I'll show your son to the science labs when a free moment arises," Prad handed his mother a Nexus supplied datapad. " Do you require assistance, Ambassador Kevas?"

She poked at the datapad in annoyance. " Your mathematical system is frustrating,"

" Every race that encounters the council's numerous races is confronted with this at first. Once the kett are handled properly, we can create a solid teaching curriculum and a form of government,"

" After you handle your own outcasts,"

" The Pathfinder is aiding in that now," Kandros assured Florinel. " We expect the matter to be settled in a matter of weeks,"

Both angara paused in their list making, task accomplishing efforts.

" Or so the Pathfinder Ryder reports," Kandros noted their increased interest. " It is understood that Director Tann extended your race an invitation to join the Initiative,"

Prad sat down and started to see why Jaal warmed up to the Pathfinder and crew. Sara's respect and admiration for Kandros and Kandros's attention to their needs added into a warming trust that Prad accepted. " Governor Shie and Evfra de Tershaav are debating the invitation,"

" Properly so,"

" What is Sara's role on the Nexus?" Prad asked. With her injury, she couldn't soldier. With her remnant technology knowledge and drive to make the world a better place, he expected her to be outside of the bureaucratic circle but high in influence.

The short explanation of Sara's role on the Nexus underwhelmed Florinel and forced Prad to question why she refused to withdraw from Voeld until nearly dying forced her. Prad ducked out of the embassy with Kandros to visit the science labs before his mother wanted to learn about the fractured leadership from said fractured leadership. The two men continued to talk about Sara's duties on the Nexus and how she carried on Evfra's peacekeeping efforts despite knowing Evfra suspected back stabbing. Once at the labs and meeting Dr. Leynomi Aridana, astrophysics lead; Chief Lucan, the mineralogist; and Professor Herik, wildlife expert; Prad immersed his disbelief in a helping of adding to their quickly growing knowledge before requesting to share what they learned with his people.

In true scientific fashion, Dr. Aridana asked for the communication addresses necessary to send the information packets. Only Chief Lucan wanted to consult Director Tann first. Tiran Kandros decided no harm can come from free trade of information and left Prad in the care of the scientists. A curious Prad asked whether titles varied from Dr. to Chief to Professor and received a barrage of explanations about their racial differences and how they all contributed to the Initiative without needing a military styled ranking system for distinction.

Kandros tracked Sara down to the Vortex, where she read, ate a light snack, and consumed alcohol at the same time. " You could have SAM complete this,"

" We can't all depend on an A.I." Sara replied casually. " Besides I'm actually remembering most of this,"

He ordered a drink for himself. " Soon you'll be the law expert,"

" On Angaran law, and the Initiative law is still loosely defined," She glanced up from the datapad. " What brings you here?"

" Avoiding Addison. She's complaining about the outpost on Elaaden. Says that the krogan and their new energy source is worrying the residents of the outpost," He leaned in. " What happened with Tann?"

Sara looked him in the eye. " Harry. Although Tann showed up at my living quarters to vent again and I'm certain he's not concerned about you or Prad," She moved paragraphs of information to a folder and downed the last of her drinks for the day. " How's the mysterious Leandra?"

" Envious of you. Since she's a pilot, we see each other on her off days," Kandros answered. " But we turians are slaves to our careers,"

She smiled, happy to see him invested in someone else.

" Speaking of slaves, we're opening up living blocks for Angara previously traumatized by the kett. We exclusively extended it to the former slaves not living on Aya. Would you share this with the Resistance leader before Governor Shie?"

Sara raised a brow. " Cultivating goodwill?"

" Just getting ahead of the negative comments Scott collected from Aya,"

" Ah. Well I'll talk to him tomorrow. We plan to smooth out some questions about the laws and cultures," Sara promised. " Interesting idea though. I wouldn't send arks back for fear of kett following them,"

" Nor I. Your brother delivered new armor, if you were unaware. I would hazard a guess that it's Remnant based," Kandros showed her the image of the packed armor. Sara's eyes went big as she identified the remnant armor that Scott learned how to construct with SAM's help. " You want to try it on?"

" Hell yeah!" She hopped up, grappled the crutch, and shoved the datapad into her pocket. Kandros happily walked her back to the apartment where the armor rested on shelving. She stood back from it and let out a breath before squealing with joy. " I love it!"

Red lights, glistening metal, and hints of white pulled it together into a badass intimidation. Kandros helped her into everything but the leg portion. Then he snapped a picture and sent it to Scott via email before helping Sara out of the armor. Sara polished off their hand prints, and Kandros asked after her progress on her now duties.

" Five more weeks on this cast before she comes off," Sara griped as she settled at the table and spammed out the newest law data to Addison, Kesh, Kandros, and Tann. " Can't wait,"

" Five more weeks before we find Prad in your quarters then," Kandros ducked the dirty look. " Five weeks and then what?"

She cocked her head in thought. " I'll be here cataloging laws and dealing with Evfra so Director Tann doesn't. Didn't Tann tell you? I have limited authority to settle differences between the angara and Initiative members on a diplomatic level," A shocked Kandros put her on her heels. Maybe Tann really trusted her after all.

With curiosity of her 'new' authority, Kandros inquired after her plans with Prad. She dodged those questions more adeptly that the turian liked, and in turn Kandros dodged questions from her about his Leandra. The draw between former lovers turned into attention back to the armor that Kandros wanted to replicate. Sara refused to let him remove it from her room, and she ordered Kandros to ask for the schematics from her brother. Kandros's gaze lingered on the awesome armor one last time.

At the same time, Florinel knocked on Sara's door. Sara let her in without thought. Kandros made his exit before he witnessed future-in-law arguments.

" Have you made it past page 50?" Florinel launched into the reason of her visit.

Sara referenced her datapad. " Yes,"

" Then you'll notice the interracial laws do not exist," His mother moved far too close in too short a time. Sara leaned away before being pulled into a hug. " Welcome to the family,"

Great….just great. Sara was grateful Scott wasn't in the room.


	23. Chapter 23

The Tempest scanned more planets on their way from Kadara after allowing Sloane Kelly to die by a Collective sniper's round. Everyone agreed with the death of the Outlaw leader, especially knowing that Reyes Vidal let them establish an outpost without needing to pay a cut to the Collective. Jaal particularly relished not having to return to the cursed planet that housed outlaws, traitorous angara and previously enslaved angara.

Relaxing in his cabin, Scott laid next to Lexi after finally spending a night together as a couple. She lay still on his chest, a weight he preferred to bear any day. He stroked her back mindlessly gazing up at the ceiling. " SAM, play soft music,"

A cinematic score played as Scott untangled himself from Lexi's limbs. He slinked off to the shower nude, past a snoring Liam, mouth breathing Cora, and Peebee laying curled up into a ball straight into the shower.

He snapped out his exhaustion long enough to drag himself to the kitchen where Drack laid out on the kitchen seating. Kadara robbed them all of the energy to follow their normal schedules. " Hey, kid?"

Hot coffee poured down Scott's leg. He let out a curse string of curses worthy of recording.

" Think we can take leave on the Nexus before you go after the Nexus? I need to talk to Kesh one last time, just in case it's my last battle,"

Scott yanked the towel around his waist tighter. " I can arrange it,"

" Hey, Kid. Sorry about the burn," Drack and Scott avoided eye contact. He winced when he applied medigel to the burn. Sliding back into bed, he curled up next to Lexi spooning with her until SAM woke him up.

SAM listed every mission that Scott undertook in his journey to make Andromeda safer. The list overwhelmed him and wasted over an hour with reading cover descriptions only. He soon learned that SAM's obsession with understanding human behavior and emotions cumulated into a comprehensive database on himself that Lexi would salivate over.

" SAM, why have you labeled Liam's attempt to steal knowledge on an aya vendor as 'Day Out on Aya'? You know I'm not homosexual, right?"

" It is a day on Aya, correct?" SAM replied smartly.

Scott scowled. " And Architect on Elaaden? You couldn't be more creative?"

" Everyone is a critic," SAM replied.

" Wait. Who taught you that phrase?" He momentarily forgot why he was annoyed with another mission title.

SAM stayed silent. Scott moved on in determination to lecture the A.I. SAM's defiance grew and Sara's influence on the title's leant itself to Lexi immediately. She got a chuckle out of 'Turian Ark: Not Dead Yet' ' Sleeping Dragons' 'Hitting Rocks for Science' and 'Making an Impression'. Even Peebee got in on it with Drack and Jaal. Jaal's interest in it stemmed to the amount of missions Scott executed before Jaal joined their crew.

" You were busy," Jaal counted up the Eos missions. ' Boosting the Signal' ' Defeating the Kett' 'Making an Impression' 'Shock Treatment' ' Something Personnel' 'The Secret Project' " SAM, why are my missions called 'Angaran Affection' and 'Friend or Foe'? There is no humor in that,"

" You are not known for your humor," SAM replied objectively. " Furthermore 'Angaran Affection' refers to your growing trust of Pafhfinder Ryder,"

Everyone lounging in the meeting area blinked and shrugged off the A.I's show of sentimentality. Lexi suspected that SAM's sentience developed with its connection to Scott. Vetra's amusement with everyone's embarrassment and discomfort lead to to her handing the datapad over to Lexi before bouncing for a safer place on the ship. Scott tried to grab it from Lexi, stopped by Cora and Liam.

" This is mutiny!" He gave up the physical struggle as Lexi escaped to the med bay with her treasure datapad of Scott's choices.

Cora let him go and pat him on the back. " Let it go," She warned him gently.

Liam followed her. " Cora, have you picked a movie yet for Movie night?"

Scott straightened out his shirt in extreme irritation. Jaal laughed at Scott's inconvenience. " SAM, you're grounded,"

" Then you are grounding yourself, Scott," SAM's instant reply shut up a fumbled Scott and forced him to focus on the crew that took no part in the unexpected ambush - Suvi and Kallo.

" Thresher Maw 4," Scott answered Liam's question before advancing toward the bridge.

The embassy at Aya received visitors daily giving Ambassador Rialla time to sharpen rusted skills. Her interest in maintaining peace stifled her interest in maintaining truthful communications with Director Tann. Truth was since she woke up and thawed out, everything delivered a gut wrenching motive to not fail. Aya's beauty hid a lot of the people's struggles just to survive, but at least she appreciated the surroundings for the calm they cast over everyone.

Of course it isn't that simple. Evfra's Resistance tracked all of her people. Paranoia kicked her over and over until finally she refused to acknowledge the obstacles directly.

It so happened a day at the market turned into a nightmare that tested her resolve. After being scanned by one of the suspicious scientists, Lessaria Rialla observed a verbal sparring between two angara. Her translator glitched several times in the rapid exchange. She caught the breeze at the right time, closing her eyes and inhaling the mixed flowers and fruit from the market. She opened her eyes to the same two angaran being escorted out by the law enforcers.

" He's right. Your presence here prevents others from living here when it's their right," A helpful and understanding male explained. " Too many of our people die and disappear on any given hour and here you stand,"

Her neutral expression revealed none of her disgust. " I do not understand. I was lead to believe immigration is without restrictions," The shift from volatile to peaceful settled back over the vendors and customers.

" No. It's a crime you bypassed the lottery,"

" It's a lottery?" Well that made sense given the limited residential space and limited food supply. " We were never informed,"

" Then it is an unfortunate reality, but nonetheless you need to be held to the law," Before she formulated a reply to the helpful angaran walked away. She tried to follow him, stopping at the same group that stood around to discuss anything and everything.

Today they decided the topic was Governor Shie. She paced back to the embassy and reviewed all the documentation she is required to track on behalf of the Angara. No lottery form. Not even an exemption form.

She hesitated to contact Tann. She already sensed his own troubles weighing him down. They pulled her out of cryo to fulfill this job. She needed to handle this on her own. She sought out Governor Shie to confirm that what happened in the market is the truth and not someone's method to push the embassy off Aya. Governor Shie informed her that they refused the exact number of individuals that composed the embassy's staff.

" Ambassador, you are pale,"

" Forgive me, I meant no worry. Goddess, if we were informed we replaced valid immigrants-"

" You committed no wrong," The kind governor stopped her from worrying too much. " your alliance to our cause is important. The embassy is a breath of fresh air,"

Breath of fresh air it may e to the hopes of those who still trusted aliens to be friendly but Rialla wanted to remedy the oversight. She emailed Scott of her predicament and let out a deep breath before practicing another optimistic lie to Director Tann. Little did she know that Scott arranged via Sara via Tann for more housing on the Nexus in exchange.


	24. Chapter 24

Duck. Shoot. Duck. Glance to Vetra. Shoot, shoot, leap, crush against the wall. Shoot. Shoot.

Liam's body dove past him, a swath of rounds arcing over him and downward. Jaal let out a yell and unloaded on the three chosen, chest heaving in aggravation at the new discovery of the kett exaltation and furthermore the kett's lead on the Jardaan's Meridian.

Within view behind the the three chosen, Scott Ryder and Cora Harper lay dead. Peebee collapsed in close proximity to Destined. Vetra pressed against the same wall as him. Bloodied and favoring her left arm, she resorted to a pistol instead of her signature sniper rifle.

An Anointed swept around the corner in front of them. Vetra popped off two rounds before absorbing seven rounds chest to waist. She dropped to the ground in a crumpled mess.

Liam toppled over the side of the second floor after a Destined slammed its fist into his throat. The Annointed finished off Jaal.

He jerked awake to Lexi, Cora, and Vetra standing near him. Tears tracked down his face as he choked an emotion. Lexi readied an injection to help calm him.

" Night terrors?" Vetra asked, dropping to a crouched position beside his cot.

He nodded wordlessly.

Vetra lowered her gaze in shame. " I understand,"

Jaal breathed raggedly. Vetra motioned Cora to join her. Lexi put the injection down and muttered a prayer for them all. " We need to find Meridian before they do," Jaal begged of them. " The archon can not corrupt the rem-tech," Cora held his hand and embraced the hurting Jaal.

Lexi fetched them all Andromeda's tea that Suvi and Lexi refined from local fauna from Eos. Vetra gave hers to Jaal who sipped the tea gratefully. The four stayed in the tech lab for three hours talking about their own night terrors and sleep problems. Ever since Scott set foot on the Archon's ship, freed the salarian ark, and pursued what they thought was Meridian, life turned dark.

The archon attacked the Nexus and dragged Sara off the Nexus and forced the Hyperion to tag along in the process. Scott walked the Tempest on his off hours wiating for Suvi to deliver coordinates they could follow. Even Drack teetered on the brink of snapping at people around him. He pet the pyjak as a method of calming himself, freaking out Peebee. Kallo and Gil tried to keep the team focused with planet scanning and research and for some it worked. For Scott and Jaal, they plotted with Director Tann on how to even the field and over take the cocky archon.

Nothing prepared Scott for the hell at Meridian, nor the hell that liberally beat Sara's recovering body to a now fragile state that no one wanted to directly acknowledge. Hospitalized on the downed Hyperion, Scott staying on Meridian to be near his twin, Sara bemoaned her extra sensitive nerves that still acted strangely at times after the archon's brief control. No one dared to argue with her, and her short temper these days made working with Evfra appear cheerful by comparison. Only Prad visited Sara on a daily basis, the transfer agreed upon by everyone to provide a source of comfort to the traumatized Sara.

The victory quieted massive kett activity in Heleus, giving everyone the luxury to let their guard down. A stubborn Sara crutch walked herself about the growing settlement despite Scott ordering her to take it easy. She threw a crutch at him after he insisted one too many times. Scott caught it with both hands.

" I am tired of being coddled. I am tired of people expecting me to just lie down and wait a year before acting normal again. I'm broken, not dead," She heaved suppressing all the memories of the event that everyone insisted on she should remember with some clarity. She was tired of being treated with gloves.

Scott handed the crutch back to his sister, holding onto it as Sara resteadied herself. " I'm aware you want to be back on your feet, but both Dr. Carlisle and Dr. T'Perro agree you are only causing yourself more harm. I'm worried for you, sis. You kicked Prad out of your living quarters last night over an innocent comment. You haven't once visited Mom in Cryo, and Suvi says you're losing yourself into Angaran-Initiative law,"

Her eyes narrowed on him. " It's my job, Scott. You're the Pathfinder. I'm going into law by selection of residual choices. What do you want me to do? Have a baby like everyone else? I'm not near healthy enough for that, and I don't want a human male. Picking a partner is not priority right now,"

Standing in the middle of the memorial garden, they blocked the narrow path that lead to the open fields popularly used for celebrations. At the moment no one occupied the garden except them.

Scott kept hold of her crutch. " I'm not saying havie babies, Sara. I'm saying stop pushing people away. Stop trying to hide from the incident,. It happened,"

" I know that," She resembled their father at this moemnt, stubbornly standing her ground. " I already apologized to Prad. We're having dinner tonight, and Evfra is attending it,"

Scott let go of the crutch. " You convinced Evfra to attend a dinner - with a Ryder?" The mere words stunned Scott. Evfra always treated him with disdain and distrust. Before Sara's capture, Evfra only requested his sister as liason to keep Scott in line. Evfra admitted to this indirectly three days prior.

Sara hobbled toward the field. " We're going to discuss the future, bringing together the Angara and Initiative. We're going to hash out what is and isn't acceptable to the Resistance. I invited Tann but he had other plans, with Addison of all people," Once again Scott didn't know what to say to this.

It'd taken him almost six months to reactivate the available vaults and then rescue the Moshae and bring down the Archon. In that time at no point were Tann and Addison friends.

" I know I have issues, Scott. Okay? I'm angry all the time. I'm on depression medicaton. I can't visit Mom like this. It's a violation of our love for her. She needs to see us happy and healthy," Sara grabbed his arm. " You and Lexis are starting a family. Prad and I are working out problems. HIs mother is a delight but the rest of his cousins haven't accepted me. To be fair, punching Prinxil didn't help,"

" Male or female?" Scott still needed clarification on names if he actually wasn't standing in front of said people.

" Male. I punched him because he said I was being hormonal. Which at that time of month, I was. But it was still an insensitive remark designed to trigger me," She stopped at her favorie bench and sat down. Wild flowers of exoitc colors and shapes grew in maintained knee height. " Prad didn't talk to me for two days,"

" Jerk," Scott slung his arm around his sister's shoulders.

" To be fair, I've been difficult. Like Dad after Mom's 'death'. I'm afraid one day he's going to walk away. Leandra and Kandros are happy and Tann - he doesn't stop to talk anymore. Too busy with the new changes. Change of authority and a new council for all the races is in the works, and Tann will be an adviser to them. Addison is 'retiring' to manage the outposts acquisitions on Elaaden and Kadara. Kesh is staying on the Nexus with August Bradley as the Ambassador for it. Replacing Bradley is Tiran Kandros. I know all of this because I also advise the council," She informed Scott calmly.

" How can you advise them if they aren't instated yet?" Scott leaned forward, sporting his new Angara made clothing. " Is there some shady business already taking place?"

She laughed. " If they are, they aren't telling me. All I know is what I'm told and Evfra is tightlipped. With the Roekaar and Resistance, it's been discussed that the APEX will become its own official military organization. Kandros's second in command took over APEX and an entirely new person assumed command of security on the Nexus,"

Despite the fact she hadn't answered his first question, her amount of intel snowballed him into believing that her experience with the Archon wasn't the only tributing cause to her stress. " Sara," He took her hand in his. " Would you like to raise our children if anything happens to me or Lexi?" It was her turn to be stunned.

She threw her arms around him and hugged him. He sighed. There was a hint of the old Sara. They sat another half hour before returning to the new law building at the center of the 'city'. Prad waited for them with a bouquet of flowers. " All is well in the Ryder clan?" He asked carefully.

Scott pat him on the shoulder. " For now,"

Life picked up activity around them at the center of the 'city'. Here two more government buildings were constructed in a mixed architectural style of angaran and Initiative. The building somehow appeared sleek despite the bold orange and yellow rounded rooftops and coverings. The residential area was less uniform in architectural style. A clear division between Initiative and Angaran homes marked the mandated desegregated housing. Those who lived here either worked to build the new society or crash landed with the Hyperion. Prad and Sara's unit, an angaran design, already occupied by guests. Evfra de Tershaav and Viraan talked about the still missing Haddon and missing motive haunted her and the Resistance.

Sara put the crutches against the wall and slipped out of her shoes. Prad put his arm around her waist. " Soon you'll only need one smaller crutch," He assured her knowing she yearned for freedom more than anything else.

" Actually I may be able to stop using the crutches in about three weeks. Harry said that the long hours are more harmful than the walking." She walked toward Viraan, the female's meeting halfway and bumping forearms. Evfra greeted Sara and Prad with a curt nod. " And SAM reminds me I'm still in line to be Pathfinder after Scott. Apparently Cora decided she didn't want the role,"

Prad accepted the drinks handed over by Evfra. Sara instantly sipped from hers. It would be a long dinner and she needed something to distract from Evfra's stubbornness. Even if it wasn't alcoholic.

Instituting the joint laws proved to be challenging for all parties involved. The new council: Moshae Sjefa, Nakmor Morda, Claron Ignatius, Julitte B'Sarr, Harmony Tristam, and Trenner Raisa; relied on Sara Ryder, Jarun Tann, Raziela and Senalda T'rani, and Turrin Sraan for law advice. The Pathfinders - Scott Ryder, Avitus Rix, Zevin Raeka, and Sarissa Theris currently worked together to bring peace to Elaaden, Kadara, and the Nexus while driving out all Kett known. The Tempest ferried Scott and team while Avitus Rix commandeered a former kett starship and eradicated any kett influence that wasn't connected to operations and life support. It resulted in a comically white and blue ship with the Initiative's logo on both sides. Inside it allowed for military support for Rix as well as transport for people location to location. Zevin Raeka and Sarissa Theris were loaned starships from the angara. Each pathfinder put together a multi species team.

A common thorn prodded the recovering people aside from instituting a new set of laws. Despite their attempts to bring the people together, xenophobes rebuffed any blending of the races. So the plan was to shift away from the segragated training to joint training exercises, merging cultures and holidays, and throwing an official celebration for Meridian to become a new 'planet' for habitation. To do that multiple parties needed to work together for the common survival.

" Prad!" Sara yelled across their living unit. " Is that you?"

He walked into the kitchen and behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Nuzzling her neck, he tightened his hold. " You drive me crazy, woman,"

She placed the dried dish on its hook. " Over what now?"

" You volunteered to take lead of the legal council," He kissed her neck, feeling her pulse leap beneath his lips. She was positively alive in his arms at this moment. " Now we'll never see each other unless it's a holiday or someone's died,"

She sighed. " My pay will be double what the Initiative pays Scott. And when this city grows, we'll need that. Besides I actually learned the law in part to Evfra and in part to Tann," She covered his hands with hers. " Prad, do you love me?"

" Love you? I adore you, worship the ground you walk on. Without you, I am lost," He swayed with her. " Why?"

She stared up at the holographic photo of them hugging at the after celebration after Scott killed the Archon. That had been a difficult time for her. " I feel like I've lost myself lately. Scott's concerned and both docs are bearing down. I just wish life got easier, not harder,"

" At least we aren't facing the kett right now," He guided her toward their sprawling seating area. " And we are able to reclaim our people, our culture lost to war! Your people helped us. Those of us with sense will always remember that,"

She cooperated with him, lowered onto the bench like couch carefully before Prad laid next to her and played with her hair. Like a child he twirled it around his fingers and tickled her exposed side. " Hey, Prad? You want to marry me?" She grabbed his webbed fingers to stop his tickling.

" Now?"

" No. Not now. Before I become Pathfinder. If I become Pathfinder," She hoped she never inherited the role. " When we're ready,"

He placed a pillow under her head. " We we're ready," Prad agreed. " And you still need to apologize to Prinxil," Her jaw set. " And not hit him again," They lay in the growing darkness dreaming about what-ifs and praying for a better future. Hope spiked in not just their household but across most households on Merdian.

Tann's lonely unit sat dark and unoccupied as Tann visited with Leandra Phelonia and Tiran Kandros. They speculated on whether the people would fully recover before the kett returned in potential numbers. Unfortunately for Tann and the fragile happiness, the archon's defiant lack of communication set off an investigative fleet. Hell would come calling again in great numbers.


End file.
